The Other World
by bluesonmondays
Summary: Chapter 10 finally up! My Name Is Asakura Hao. AU story. Horohoro and Ren, two people with dark pasts. How would it affect them and their future nonexistent relationsip? They're not the only ones with secrets untold...DISCONTINUED
1. The Beginning

**-Minor reedit- Standard disclaimer applies. If I own Shaman King, Ren would most definitely be with Horo!

* * *

****Chapter 1: The Beginning**

In Yoh's eyes, the only word to summarize today would be… weird. It all started when their teacher walked into the room with beaded eyes and was silent, looking at the door. Everyone tried to look at her direction, but she shushed them back to their seats and adjusted her skirt, trying to look as prim as possible. Yoh raised an eyebrow. Their history teacher was well known as a hater of procrastination, and when she came into class today for first period without saying anything connected to academics (or History for that matter), you know it definitely will be weirder than usual.

"Class, I am sorry I had to take some few minutes of my time, but, um, this is our new student from China, Tao Ren. Ren, please introduce yourself." A teen with purplish hair with a long spike at the end of his head slowly walked in and stood by the teacher, who was anxious looking. This boy was impeccably dressed; sling bag hanging from his shoulder, looking dazed a little.

_Was he sleeping?_

Yoh shrug that thought off. Instead, he looked at the Chinese and smiled a little as a friendly gesture to welcome the new student (and as gratitude of sorts because this indeed _will be_ taking her time), but his eyes widened when the new student _smirked_. Yes, the new student smirked back instead of saying hello or anything. It was… in a word to describe it… weird?

It was certainly _not_ an expected treatment from a new student. The teacher cringed a little, probably sensing the same expression emitting from her students, some looking bewildered while some just blinking of surprise (Yoh was one of them) but then she smiled again, and spoke in English (and wasting some more precious moments, he inwardly grinned). After all, English was the universal language…

"Ren, perhaps you are not familiar with the Japanese language, it's all right. You will have time to adapt. Well, pick a seat…"

Yoh looked at him warmly, although he had trouble understanding what the teacher was saying. Yeah, it had to be it. After all, which exchange student would not introduce themselves unless they do not know the language…right?

"I can speak very well, thank you." The new student replied calmly in Japanese, much to Yoh's chagrin, and surprise, that a Chinese student can speak a language not used in China at all, especially when it was Japanese and recalling how China and Japan were warring in the past, their History lesson yesterday. Before the teacher could find another excuse for him being unfriendly and all, the new student had begun to walk to the back of the class, rolling his eyes at each pair of eyes as he do.

He had chosen to sit beside Usui Horokeu.

Yoh turned behind him and gaped, rather unconsciously.

Today was not only weird; it was more than that; it was…

Strangely eerie.

* * *

Ren hated attention, and it was apparent when he first entered the new foreign room in the unfamiliar edifice called the office (for registration purposes), and then the other one which he has to call classroom from now on, as he followed some grumbling teacher who was commenting on her usage of time and whatever, he do not care. He knew the teacher probably felt threatened by him; after all, the Tao family was famous, and he bet she was probably biting her nails thinking about of her job if she mistreated him. When the teacher asked him to introduce himself, Ren was silently loathing it (accompanied with few sweat beads and few heart beats with speed of few thousand miles). He hated introductions, and what it will bring. After this, he will probably have to endure tons of students saying, "Hi, how are you?" and annoying stuff like that. He does not need sympathy. 

_Respect is the only thing he ever wanted…_

Therefore, he picked the next best thing, which is to smirk.

Ren remembered someone saying before; 'Pretending to be someone you're not is a mask to protect the vulnerable insides.' Biting his lip for a moment on remembrance of that peculiar memory, he remained silent and focused on the wall at the back of the class as not to look at the strangers in school uniforms.

"Ren, perhaps you are not familiar with the Japanese language, it's all right. You will have time to adapt. Well, pick a seat…"

Another thing Ren hated about being foreign places was the underestimation, which was seemingly always happening all the time.

_Jun was always better…_

If he was not good in Japanese, he might as well go to remedial class instead of entering high school. Adults are just so… dense. This teacher is just like the headmaster. They are all underestimating and no common sense.

"I can speak very well, thank you." Ren spat back in Japanese, slightly clenching his teeth. He is not going to let anyone call him 'new and adapting student' or 'unfamiliar and lost kid'. The recurring gasps from the students were proof they got his point (or are they still dim witted, Ren could not care less). Not allowing the teacher to say another word, he scanned around for a place. The one person whom did not look back at him all this while during the loathsome introduction was sitting at the last place, a blue haired teen that was gazing at the window dreamily; not noticing what was happening in class at all.

Ren sat down, feeling rather calm. At least he will not feel like fish out of water here. A teen in front of him turned and gaped almost uncontrollably. Ren blinked.

"Did I do anything to infuriate you in any way? If not, please look back at front and leave me alone."

Great.

Somehow, it made something lightened up in the other teen's eyes, and he became more enthusiastic.

"I'm Asakura Yoh, nice to meet you!"

Darn.

* * *

Soon, the clock struck twelve, signaling it was interval. As everyone is leaving, Ren began organizing his stuff in his satchel. The teen beside him was still in a daze, and they had made obviously no communication at all throughout the first few periods. Ren felt pleased at himself as he decided that sitting at this place was the best choice. 

_No one cares about you… No one ever will…_

Or so he thought.

"Horohoro-sempai!" A young girl ran in and stood in front of him, clutching something he deem is a bunch of flowers; except they look like weeds.

"You found the wrong person." Ren calmly replied, only for the teen beside him to turn back and look at him.

"She's calling me." Horohoro mumbled, slowly standing up. The girl shivered for a moment, confirming that it was Horohoro who the young girl was looking for and not Ren. She looked starry eyed at him while offering the weeds to him.

Ren looked at them and flushed. Of course, how could anybody give him anything?

_You are nothing._

"Yes, Kitsu?"

"You… you say the ixoras I grew was pretty… and… and… this is the first buds; I'm giving them to you." Kitsu said slowly; face blushing. "I really… really… like you, Horohoro-sempai."

"I am sorry, but as you can see, I already have a boyfriend." Swooping up the still flushed Ren, Horohoro laid a hand around his waist and kissed him gently.

Before Ren could push him away, (it made him dizzy for a moment), Kitsu lowered her head, out of shock or sadness, no one was sure which one was king for the moment.

"I'm… I am so sorry, Horohoro-sempai. I will not disturb you again. Good bye!" After her last words, the girl ran out of the classroom, the ixoras strewn over the floor, making a pattern. At this time, Ren managed to regain composure and pushed his 'attacker' away roughly, staring at him with anger and fury (and embarrassment, his mind commented).

"Who the hell gives you the right?"

"It was only a favour." Horohoro replied, as if it was the most common thing in the world.

* * *

To those who do not know Tao Ren, their first impression would be that he is an arrogant brat, a cold icy prince of some sort, untouchable and somewhat regal and majestic, as proved earlier to the students of Class 3-A of Daidouji High School that day when he had oh-so-snobbishly smirked at them. He was impervious and cool, and mixes only to people deemed of the same rank as he was. 

Unfortunately, Ren is also a very bad tempered person, not exactly someone to be messed around with when his solitary spike of hair begin to dangerously rise; and this blue haired teen, whatever his name is, not only had not noticed that physical difference; he had also made him furious to the max.

A fist landing to Horohoro's cheek was proof of his rage.

* * *

"Tao Ren, Usui Horokeu, I will not permit this kind of fighting in class! Tao Ren, it is only your first day here! I heard from your uncle that you were an excellent student back in China, how did this even happen?" Yes, the fight had gone rather wild, with them breaking some chairs in the process, due to Ren's volatile nature and Horohoro's spirit of not wanting to give up. A few teachers had to break them part to bring them individually to the headmaster's room, after which they sat down again, making sure both sides had cooled down before the headmaster proceed to even begin speaking. 

Ren took a deep breath and tried his best to look as respectful as possible. "Headmaster, he was the one that infuriated me first."

"I only asked for a favour." Horohoro replied, in the same tone of serenity that Ren had just used moments before. Ren stared back at him in total disbelief. The headmaster, Mr. Ryu, grunted a little and sighed.

"Usui Horokeu, what can I say of you? Why can you not be a good student when you are in the good class? It is only two months into the new school term and you have made such a racket! Of course, considering your crime last year, I thought you will turn into a new leaf, but…"

"Are you done? If you want us to study, please excuse us." Before Mr. Ryu can say anything more (not that he can, since he was rudely interrupted few minutes before anyway), Horohoro had taken hold of Ren and dragged him out.

Tao Ren regretted sitting next to this guy who did not seem to care about anything; because it seems to be the start of his nightmare.

Or… is it not?

"Shut up."

"Who are you talking to?"


	2. Nice To Meet You

**-minor reedit- Chapter 10 will come out soon, please be patient. -22/8/07- Reviews?**

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* * *

**

"Why on earth are they fighting?" Yoh asked, bewildered, looking at the mess that was the classroom. He was on class duty today and due to that, they were responsible to clean back the classroom after the fight at interval before any classes commence. Lyserg, who was wiping the window, stared back at him for a moment.

"I heard that Usui kissed the new exchange student."

"He-what?"

"Uh-huh."

"Oh my god… Wow!" Yoh exclaimed for a moment, holding the broomstick and pausing. "That new student was so brave!"

"Or should you say Usui was bold?" Lyserg asked questioningly without looking at him. "Come on, let's finish the job."

"Horohoro was always brave, all right?' Yoh said, focusing back on the task on hand. "It's not a wonder."

His broom began its destructive descent on the ixoras on the floor in the crooked, uneven, but distinguishable, shape of a lotus.

* * *

Ren tried in vain to pry his shirt collar off Horohoro's fingers as the other teen pulled him back to class. 

"Let go of me right now, I command you!"

"What if I refuse?" Horohoro snapped back in full blast and in a surge of motion, Ren felt himself slammed to the wall.

_Pain…_

Horohoro hovered above him dangerously; somehow, a murderous glint appeared at that very instant. From nowhere wind blew, flaring his unusual matt of blue-black hair, parted by a bandana. Leaning on the wall and nursing his ribs; Horohoro had strategically knocked them against the hard surface; Ren looked (and felted) like a captured bird in a cage. In fact, he could have fall to the ground if not for Horohoro clenching his shoulders in a death grip.

_Fear…_

"Let me tell you something, whatever your name is. Don't mess with me, you arrogant new brat. For your favor; I will return it in some way; just be grateful that I am now indebted to you; rather unwillingly."

The moment the hold on him was released; Ren fell to the floor in a sitting position. Watching the other leaving, he felt himself dropping balance and falling completely onto the cement floor of the hallway, his eyesight now looking at the opposite wall horizontally instead of vertically.

* * *

_Darkness…_

Ren woke up, head in a slight migraine from his recurring nightmare; eyes gently opening…

… and finding himself looking into some peculiar black eyes and another pair of green eyes; both looking worried and unfamiliar.

"Gah!" Ren said, backing up from them, and touching something… soft? He looked around. Where is this place? The entire room was white; including the walls, floor tiles and even the bed he was on was draped in white bed covers. The room was simplistic; there was only a room; a cupboard colored in white and a few plastic chairs, which the two teens are sitting on. The person who lived in here is obviously a color freak. "Where am I?"

"The infirmary." The black haired teen replied; Ren suddenly recognized him as the one that had waved so stupidly at him earlier; what was his name again?

"Oh. Thanks." In the end, it was all Ren could muster.

"We found you at the hallway, unconscious. Keita says you only need some rest and you'll be fine." The green haired teen said. "By the way, I'm Lyserg. You are?"

Blinking at the offered hand, Ren looked at Lyserg again. Why do the students of this school act so strangely? First that gasping black haired guy in headphones (who had since calmed down but he was still weird anyway), then the freak that had nearly killed him (and kissed him as well,_ not_ that it was a pleasant memory, but it was something Ren had marked to forget from his brain) and now this!

"Em… I am Ren. Tao Ren." Still in uncertainty (and disbelief), managing to fumble a few words was already a great feat for him. Not wanting the two to talk further and maybe ask about how he got hurt, therefore he changed the topic of conversation. "Who's Keita anyway?"

"I see he's awake." A man dressed in weird clothes (which was not white; instead it was in an array of colors) and with some feathers slid at his tied hair came in and smiled at him. "I have treated to your bruises. You'll be fine. I'm the school's nurse, Keita, but you can also call me Silva."

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be fine?" Yoh (Ren knew his name later after hearing Lyserg and Keita (or Silva, whatever) talked to him) asked concernedly as Ren walked home from school, straight from the infirmary (Yoh helped him to pack his bag, so he haven't return to class at all). He and Lyserg were following Ren after school; concerned about his bruised rib. Ren had still not told them about how he got hurt; he had no interest to let them indulge in his affair either. 

_No one cares about you…_

"I'm fine, really." Ren answered calmly. "I'll just go home to put some medicine. You two should get going and go home."

"We're worried." Lyserg said timidly. "At least just let us escort you home, all right?"

"No thank you!" Ren stared at him indignantly. "I do not need to be tended to like a child!" Turning to face the two, Ren stopped and took a deep breath to calm himself from his sudden outburst after realizing he had go on one of his tempers again. "Seriously, I am fine. Just give me your numbers and I'll call when I get home. Then will it be all right?"

Lyserg looked at Yoh. Yoh bit his lip in deep thought. Both of them began to engage in a deep conversation. Ren rolled his eyes and began walking again, oblivious to the cries from Lyserg that was saying 'Ren had run away!'

Seriously, they need to get a psychiatrist. They need to get their brain checked and if possible, scrutinized.

Everyone he had met today. They need to get a psychiatrist immediately. Yoh, Lyserg, Silva…

That Horohoro guy.

"Ren!" Yoh screamed all of a sudden. Ren stopped and turned. Why is he calling his name when he was just behind them? Rolling his eyes, he looked back. Upon seeing the two teens however, his eyes nearly bulged. They were running _towards_ him. Alarmed, he looked back and walked faster.

_BAM._

Ren was pinned to the hard street tiles.

* * *

"What happened to you?" Lyserg asked as he draped Horohoro over himself and Yoh. Ren refuses to touch this teen because 1) he was drenched in blood and his shirt was near torn, 2) Ren was rubbing his own sore head from the fall, and 3) Horohoro's warning this morning were still ringing in Ren's ears, and he refuses to _mess_ with Horohoro in any way possible (including touching him; who knows what these freaks can make up of an innocuous touch? Maybe he might face an overblown and exaggerated complaint of preposterous proportions) in case he gets another near death experience. 

"Street bullies." Horohoro murmured between half opened eyes and blood trickling down his face. "Nothing really. Just get me home and quickly."

"All… right." Lyserg murmured as they had locked Horohoro in place and began moving. Ren blinked at Lyserg, holding Horohoro's bag that was thrown to him.

_Was he blushing?_

"Those street bullies really are nasty nowadays." Yoh commented. "That day, my mother saw them. Luckily, she saw a police and the street bullies ran away. Who knows what is in their head nowadays. Ren, next time we'd better go home together, understand?"

Ren glanced back at him.

"Huh… what?"

"As precaution from street bullies. Luckily, you were back with us today. Look at Horohoro! He walked home alone and now he's seriously wounded!'

"I…"

_No one wants you…_

"Yeah, sure."

He can still oblige with them, can he?

* * *

Finally, they reached Horohoro's door. Ren had wanted to go home but he could not, since he was still holding that bastard's bag. Taking out the keys from Horohoro's bag, he began cramming the key to the door hole. 

"My, you seem to know my house key well, eh?' Horohoro teased, despite his weak condition. Feeling the fire rising, Ren shot a death glare at said person. Lyserg and Yoh glanced at him with eyes that say 'that's not how you're supposed to treat a patient'.

"Fine, then which key was it?" Ren asked, swallowing the fumes rather unwillingly. Horohoro gave him a victorious smile, nudging on Ren's patience meter again and was precariously near its limit now.

"The fifth one." Looking at Horohoro, and then back at Yoh and Lyserg who was warning him eloquently, he bit his lip and jammed his fury at said door.

"Seriously, you shouldn't be angry at him. He's a patient after all." Yoh muttered after Horohoro was on his bed and a doctor was called. Unknown to them before the door was pushed open; Usui Horokeu lived in a dilapidated house. Some of the bricks on the walls have disappeared; large enough for water to spill in when it rains. The tiles were missing and Horohoro's 'bed' consisted of a few spoiled and thinning mattresses placed together. Since there was another bed, Ren concluded that another person was living with him. The furnishings of his house were very simple; there was only a table, two chairs, a clothes cupboard whose door was almost chewed completely by rats, an _extremely_ small toilet (Ren wondered how someone could bath and change on top of the toilet seat or the lack of it) and a bookcase with books.

"Yeah, whatever." Ren murmured. Lyserg looked at him, smiling.

"I know you are soft inside."

"Quit it!" Ren said, blush appearing. Damn, he really should be home now!

"Look at this!" Yoh said, taking one book out from the bookcase. "Horohoro can draw!"

"Usui can… what?" Lyserg said in surprise as he joined Yoh and gasped. "Wow…"

"Hey, you two, its private property!" Ren began, but he stopped when the book was placed in front of him. His mouth dropped.

On a random page of the book, which was black covered outside, was the drawing of an angel playing a harp amidst the clouds, the sun shining at the background. The lone figure was in a flowing dress, long tresses flowing in her face. The drawing looked realistic; anyone would have mistaken it for a real photo if not for the fact that it was drawn in black and white.

The angel was also faceless.


	3. Winter Blues

**That day, I bought Hiroyuki-sensei's newest manga, Jumbor Barutronica. I m in the middle of reading it now (while inserting Soul Eater and Bleach in between naturally), hope by next chapter I have finished the book! Anyway, a very large arigato to those who reviewed. It meant a lot to me, and because of that I've really work hard in writing this chapter. Please enjoy it, and at the same time; please review!

* * *

Chapter 3: Winter Blues **

A young girl was kneeling by the crystal clear river, spinning waves with her finger. The moon had just ascended upon the sky, shining its luminescence upon the waves she had created, making it look almost magical and surreal; a little circle crowded by spectators in form of bubbles and the soft current of water flowing. The young girl pulled her torn coat nearer for warmth in the December cold. Feeling gusts of wind teasing her pale but fair skin and the water ripples touching her knees, she sighed. Wisps of air surfaced, dampened by the temperature of the night. Her gentle movement stopped abruptly when the wind blew stronger and snowflakes began appearing on the grassy ground; slowly making the land of green turn into a colourless haven. The girl tucked her fingers back into warm shade and slowly glanced up, beautiful lemon-gold eyes drinking into the object of admiration that was nature. A droplet of salted water fell on her lap, accompanied by many more on her ragged outfit.

She said her last goodbyes and allowed the otherworldly sob at her throat to finally shatter the ambience of the night.

* * *

Ren's second day did not begin on a good note. 

A horde of girls were standing by the classroom entrance; scrutinizing him with eyes of such hatred enough to kill an elephant, or even an animal of larger size.

"Hey, do you know what you've done?" a girl of stocky built said roughly as she folded her arms; she was probably the leader of the pack. Ren rolled his eyes without looking back and continued to walk in front, pushing the girl aside in ease. She was definitely pissed because no sooner had Ren let go of his hand a few girls sprouted to his front automatically, holding up their hands as sign for Ren to stop. Ren looked around; he had actually wanted to come early so that he can get some morning peace, but unfortunately at six in that particular morning, the whole classroom was already filled with girls of all sizes, skin colours and hair lengths (not exactly of all ages though). Wait a minute, there was some guys too! Ren saw them as clearly as mirrors, sitting between the female students.

"All right, _who_ are you people and why are you here in this morning?"

"We belong to the revered fan club of Usui Horokeu and we were extremely displeased with your act of seduction yesterday." A voice spoke as the girls before him parted to reveal a female with spectacles and long hair tied up in a ponytail as she stood from the teacher's table. "I'm the club president, Morika Nemu, and we demand your explanation and apology." The stocky built girl pushed him to a chair from behind as she stood beside him, a hand on his shoulder to prevent him from moving. Nemu nodded. "This is my trusted second in command and fighter for Horohoro's honour, Kaige Satsu. The person you had hurt so badly yesterday was Kaige Kitsu, her younger sister and newest member of our clan. We'll give you a minute to come up with the best possible answer." Nemu said, before looking at her watch and her speech stopped momentarily. "Wait a minute; you already have your one minute. Satsu, drag our guest up please..." Unable to move(can you when two or three strong girls are latching themselves to your arms like there is no tomorrow?), Ren let himself be pulled to face all the participating faces in the room. After Satsu and her gang of similar gangster-like people released him, Ren found himself face to face with Kaige Kitsu, the girl that had come to see Horohoro the day before.

"What is your explanation?" Nemu's voice rang in Ren's ear. He swallowed his saliva in anxiety. Since when did that good-for-nothing bastard have a _fan club_? His thought fled away and he came back to Kitsu, who was staring at him expectantly.

"What is my explanation? I am not the one breaking her heart!" Ren grumbled. Kitsu's eyes lowered a little, the younger girl's eyes diverted around in nervousness, her fists clenched rather tight on her lap.

"He… he said you're his boyfriend."

Gasps from the classroom made Ren's sweat drop. Nemu walked to Kitsu's side and glared at him.

"You hurt her bad."

"Oh my god… how can he do this to Horohoro-sempai? He belongs to us!" A girl sitting among the crowds gasped.

"I… I cannot believe Horohoro-sempai's gay…" Another murmured between gasps.

"How can this new exchange student commit such an indecent act of seduction on our beloved Horohoro-sempai?" Someone exclaimed dramatically, indirectly rising the sobs, wails and cries among the audience. Some were cursing, mocking Ren for his blasphemy. Some were even beginning to write Ren's name on some voodoo of some sort, preparing to place a curse upon him. Ren looked at them in terror. He must make things right!

"I didn't do any act of seduction whatsoever! I am only doing that bast-"

"Finish your words and you will sleep in the hospital tomorrow." Satsu hissed at his left as fists cracked.

"Why should I listen to you?" Ren snapped back, his temper rising, conveniently forgetting that he was to make things _right_ instead of _worse_, as he changed his seeing view to her. "I am calling him whatever I _want_ because it's _my_ freedom and you have no right to-"

For the second time in two days, Ren had engaged in another fight; though this time he was not the one initiating it.

* * *

"Tao Ren, what am I to do with you?!" Mr. Ryu whined as he looked at the teen that looked messy from the fight he had with one of the strongest girls in Daidouji High School. "Two days, two fights! What happened with Kaige Satsu this time?" 

"Nothing." Ren replied. "Just a little misunderstanding about Usui Horokeu."

"What does that boy have to do with the fight?" Mr. Ryu asked, eyebrows wrinkling. "You two just cause nothing but trouble! Why must I always deal with you and him…!"

"I don't care about him whatsoever, Mr. Ryu. I promise I'll commit fully to my duties as an obedient student." Ren murmured when Mr. Ryu had stopped talking, his head looking down.

"Well, I hope you will _remember_ your promise." At that moment, Ren felted something electrifying boring through his skull, and he looked up to see Mr. Ryu in a serious expression; face focused. Then a knock came to the door and Mr. Ryu's face changed. Ren shrugged.

_I must be seeing things._

"Mr. Ryu." Satsu walked into the room with a mended cheek; Ren rubbed his own bruised chin and trembled as said girl sat beside him. "I have talked to Nemu, we have cleared everyone from classroom 3-A back to their respective classes just in time for first period, and we have mended the mess from our childish racket."

"Good. Besides that?"

"Besides that, we also have decided to give Ren-chan a chance." Ren shuddered again as his eyebrows raised in disbelief.

Ren-_chan?_

"You know very well that your club cannot make decisions on his behalf."

"Well, then just punish me for everything." Satsu offered as she stood up; determined glint in her eyes. "I started it after all. Ren-chan here is not deserving of the punishments placed upon him." Mr. Ryu stared hard at her and Ren, as if thinking about something that is too much for his own intellectual stability. Finally, he nodded.

"All right. Tao Ren, you can go now. Please try to evade from any more fights, thank you."

Ren nodded briefly, although his brain was still in a confused state.

* * *

It was interval and the students are streaming out for their afternoon breaks. Horohoro was stashing his books into his bag when a punch on his table made him stop abruptly and look up. A teen with pure black hair was looking at him. 

"Horohoro, if anything happen to him, I swear I'll kill you."

"You know that if you kill me, you'll regret it for the rest of your life, Asakura Yoh." Horohoro replied icily as he stood up to meet Yoh straight in the eye. "She will be so _saddened_ if you do that to me."

"I was _nice_ enough to help you when you are bloodied injured yesterday." Yoh spat back, his ears (or more exact, his headphones) practically smoking as his hand grabbed Horohoro's collar hard to show his wrath; the latter not even flinching as Yoh dragged him nearer and a sharp sound was heard. "How many more favours am I to give you before you rot in hell and just dissipate from my eyes? You're the damn reason for EVERYTHING!"

"That's why I always say you are the most sentimental and emotional among us." Horohoro replied lazily, rolling his eyes in the process although it was very definite that he was not holding the upper hand. "Anyway, where's Lyserg Diethel? I prefer befriending you better when you're around with him."

"Don't change the topic. If I haven't promised her to be nice with you in front of others, I would have kicked you hard a long time ago." Yoh muttered. Horohoro raised his eyebrow in mock curiosity and his lip curled when he noticed someone entering the classroom, Yoh's eyes too emblazoned in hatred to notice.

"Yoh? Usui?" Lyserg murmured as he walked to Yoh's side, frowning. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, Lyserg. We're just having a little conversation." Yoh said cheerily as he let go of Horohoro's collar and instead placed it behind his head. "Can you wait a minute longer? I still have to talk with him. Can you wait?"

"Er, yeah, sure." Lyserg replied uncertainly. "I'll be waiting outside."

"You still want to berate me when your best friend's waiting?" Horohoro mocked when Lyserg was out of earshot. "That's very inconsiderate of you." Yoh took a deep breather and looked outside, his eyes gently softening to the visage in front of his eyes.

"I'm only telling you this. I noticed his expressions and actions. Ren is very similar with ……"

The bell rang.

"If you even try as to harm him in any possible way, you will face my wrath. I will not let you cause the same thing to happen twice." Yoh mumbled; his tone clearly lowering although the warning was still apparent. His eyes remained transfixed to the view, his last words in a whisper; inaudible to Horohoro's ears. "It's the time of the year again…"

"Yoh, the bell rang! Can you please stop?" Lyserg said desperately as he came back in. "Students are not allowed to stay in class!"

"Come on, let's go and see Ren now, all right? He hadn't come back from the headmaster's office." Yoh began ushering Lyserg out from the classroom to prevent them from staying in the confined space longer without looking back at the face of the blue faced teen. Horohoro watched back at them in an expression void of emotion, and then slumped back on his chair after their visages are gone, touching the bandaged patch under his shirt that was bleeding insinuatingly from his contact with the table corner as his black obsidian eyes wandered randomly outside to the surroundings, looking at what Yoh was seeing just now. He smiled slightly, a smile that was rare and chaste, as if having found a treasure of sort; although the pain on his stomach was not pleasant at all; instead it was excruciating.

Both of them had waited for this.

The first flakes of winter had begun falling.

* * *

Ryu's thoughts were not in his cubicle when the first snow fell. Fleeting memories flew by his head as he peered outside; sighing as a white flake landed by the windowpane. Stroking the flake unintelligently, he noticed a particular boy outside standing among the raining wonder. Looking back at the transfer documents of Tao Ren on his table, he shook his head. The students really are getting more troublesome nowadays. And that Chinese boy came from China from a clean slate. 

Perhaps he really should quit the job and leave Tokyo for a moment of relaxation…

"Ryu, you are really stressing yourself." A voice came, pulling Ryu back to reality. Keita sat opposite him, crossing his arms. "Perhaps you should come to the infirmary one day and get some relaxing messages."

"I thought the infirmary is for students." Ryu smiled at his friend. "How could they occupy places for the headmaster when there are more students in need of medication and care?"

"You are worrying me. You know, you have changed a lot since your wife died. I am afraid you will go in depression if you continue to dwell in the past like this."

"Don't talk about it, all right?" Ryu murmured in defeat. "It's been a year now. I'm going on with life now, I have a job, I have a house, and I have a life. I am all right."

"You are not all right!" Keita said, body beginning to tremble from his utmost efforts to control his feelings. "We grew up together; I know you too well. You will never ever look at someone with a serious expression unless they had done something wrong! You shot that look to the new student today! What had he done?"

"He engaged himself in a fight…"

"He _was engaged_ into a fight. You know that very well, he wouldn't go against Kaige Satsu for nothing…"

"He fought with Horokeu yesterday…"

"That is a different case altogether, considering the circumstances." Keita implored gently. "I know what I can do to help you. My niece has just graduated from university; I will get her to help you in your administration. After all, she haven't have a job yet and I believe with her skills you will be able to deal with school well."

"Silva! You know very well what _kind_ of person she is! I'll be under her foot all the time with her dictatorial and terrifying laws!" Ryu cried. "Not only me, the school will also suffer!" Keita looked back at him with an 'I cannot do anything to help you' look.

"You need it desperately. Furthermore, I believe Anna will love to see how her alma mater has become under you. I also believe she would have the school's best interest at heart. Don't worry. I'll inform her tonight that there is vacancy in the school and her services is needed." Before Ryu could mutter any more words of objection; Keita had walked out. Ryu slapped his head hard and whimpered; a strong feeling of dread blooming in his mind.

All of a sudden, the snow fell heavier than usual.

* * *

**Arigato again for finishing the story... I swear I would tie up the loose ends; Anna is coming in the next chapter!!!!! Please review...**


	4. Glass Shatters Of Memories

**Arigato for reviews... This came faster than i've expected, but since its up, so... here it is! Pls continue reviewing, arigato!!!!****

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Chapter 4: Glass Shatters of Memories

"You know." Lyserg began as he and Yoh made their way to the headmaster's room. "I am still thinking about the drawing we saw yesterday."

"What's so important about it? It's only a drawing and we now know Horohoro can draw. Though I must say that drawing was very pretty…"

"Yoh!" Lyserg exclaimed as he stopped on his tracks and held Yoh's shoulders to prevent him from moving. "I know that drawing meant something very dear to him; I also think you _knew_ about that picture, and just pretended that you actually saw something unfamiliar. You know I was observing you; that's why you pretended to be so excited and let us see that page!" Taking a deep breath when his friend remained voiceless and gave no response, he continued. "I know something happened before I came to this school. I mean, although I do not know what that particular incident _was_; I am not stupid. You call Usui 'Horohoro', but I don't think you two were even close enough for you to call him by his nickname. Then you were grabbing his collar in the classroom… I mean… we're best friends; please tell me what's wrong…"

"Nothing is wrong, Lyserg. I told you before, Horohoro and I were kindergarten mates, and therefore it's particularly normal for me to call him by his nickname. Nevertheless, we began drifting apart because our interests were different and our perception of things is also not similar. We are still friends, we are just not close. I know you are very nice and love friends, Lyserg, but you cannot force everyone to be close to him just because of your selfishness." Yoh replied, voice quivering a little while pushing Lyserg away and continued walking.

"Yoh, please listen to me. I see sadness in him all the time, even under that exterior that he was faking. Every time he tried to be cold; icy, untouchable and invincible, in his eyes, I see him suffer. I want to help him; to be his friend; to share his troubles; but I also know you and him had some sort of history and because of that you two are not close anymore; I couldn't try to befriend him without being seen as 'betraying' you in some way…"

Yoh stopped now, Lyserg's voice behind him. Lyserg could not see Yoh's face, but he felt the teen in front of him stiffening.

"Then you can go and join him. Join him and leave me alone. He always gets the favours anyways. Everyone just loves him." Yoh muttered after what seemed like eternity. Lyserg was sure Yoh was actually weighing between 'finishing the act' and 'telling the truth' and had opted for the latter. Not that it scared him anyway.

"Yoh, do you understand? I only want you two to be best friends again. Can't you just push away whatever enmity you two had?" Lyserg asked desperately. "You two are deliberately suffocating your friendship!"

"I believe that is none of your business."

"Yoh! Weren't you worried when he appeared like that in blood yesterday? You noticed him before I did and from your tone, I know you _are _concerned of him. Why would you just not admit that deep down, you still want to be friends with him again?"

"Why must I even try to be his god damn friend again? He own me too many; and I still have to give him favours _all the time_! What does he think he is; that ungrateful brat? It was just so unfortunate that I have to know him!" Yoh turned back to face Lyserg; eyes welling up in tears. "He took too much from me, Lyserg; why must I still try to rekindle whatever friendship ties we had? He deserves NOTHING and everyone still thinks he deserves something! What about me? Do I not deserve something too? Must I give in to him all the god damn time?!" Kneeling to the ground; Lyserg saw that Yoh's eyes were looking down as the tears continued dripping, the headphone wearing boy clenching his fists tight.

"Yoh…" Lyserg murmured as he ran to Yoh and knelt in front of him. "I saw not only his agony; I also saw your pains and anguish too, despite the cheery and jolly smiles you give me incessantly; I really did. You deserve a lot of things, you understand? I am your friend; please trust me, all right?"

With that, Lyserg hesitantly placed his arms around Yoh and let their cheeks touch. Yoh closed his eyes; the pain floating out as he laid his head on Lyserg's shoulder; relaxing a little; in spite of the sobbing that was happening in the empty alley, Lyserg heard Yoh whispering some words.

"Thank you…"

* * *

Ren glanced up; feeling beautiful snow landing upon his face. This marvel of nature really was rare…

_So this is snow… _

After coming out from the headmaster's room, he had seen some mist building by the window, blurring the view of the outside. Somewhat curious, he pushed the window pane and wind stung his eyes. When he opened his eyes however; the sight was different; it was perpetually breathtaking. The skies had turned white and it looked heavenly, standing proud amongst the nature; as if guarding them. Trees and the ground covered by snow really were magical; melding together to create a scene one can only see through postcards and pictures. He really had not thought he can see this authenticity for himself, hearing about it only through his mother's words. Though his rational mind told him to go straight back to class; he decided against it. After all, he had done some weird things since coming to school…

He stretched out a hand to catch a flake and brought it closer to scrutinize it. The patterns really are symmetrical; equally halved by eight exact sides in a hexagonal shape. This shape was really perfect… It was near transparent; he can see his hand right through it. More and more snow are reaching to the ground now, Ren could see white patches forming amongst the black that was his shoes. He watched silently as he felted his socks absorb the moisture and seep to the skin of his feet. Before long, he sensed the rest of the raining drops covering his body. Dwelling in the white that was winter and putting his hands into his pockets for warmth; he let his now relaxing mind drift…

_**Flashback**_

_One day before…_

"Bocchama! Are you all right?" the concerned visage of Bason popped into the infirmary where Ren was resting. "The school's principal just called me! I heard you fainted! Are you all right? Should I get a doctor here to look at your wounds? Were you hurt badly, Bocchama…"

"Bason, I am just fine. A bruised rib will do no harm to me." Ren muttered. "The nurse has mended me well; my ribs don't hurt now. Why are you even here? You should be at home…"

"Well, I was worried about you… Anyway; I saw two teens coming out from the infirmary just now. Were they your friends?"

"You know I don't make friends."

"You should." Bason pondered as he sat beside Ren. "I believe they're sincere."

"I believe they're freaks." Ren replied matter-of-factly. His butler laughed a little; Ren raised his eyebrow.

"I believe you can oblige with them as your friends. Come on, we are not in China now, please consider. I believe you'll like being friends with them." Bason said gently, patting Ren's head. Ren frowned.

"You really should be home. Leaving the house unattended like this is perilous."

"You are really rushing me, eh? All right, Bocchama, I'll obey your orders. Then I'm going home now. You want to leave now as well?"

"Yoh is helping me to take my bag; I think I'll be back after school."

"See? I told you they are good boys. Then I'll cook you your favourite dish today as celebration for first day at school! Meanwhile, please try to be nice with them; all right?" Bason advised, face light up in hope. Ren gave a sigh; his butler really knows his weaknesses…

"I'll try."

_**Present time**_

Ren can't help but force a smile although now the snow seemingly; Bason was right at times. Yoh and Lyserg really are good friends.

_Magic really happens at winters…

* * *

_

A girl stood hidden by the pine trees that were the forest reserve near Daidouji High School; her skirt and hair remaining untouched by the wind brought by the snow; she was quietly observing a teenaged Chinese boy standing in the middle of the snow in the school grounds. She grinned a little, seeing the boy smiling at a particular pleasant memory. Looking up, she saw Horohoro's visage from the classroom; peering at the same snowfall and beamed wider, seeing that said teen was not in his gloomy mood.

_You and I are really similar, Tao Ren, you know that? I hope you can help Horohoro and yourself in the process. May the season bring miracles..._

With that, she skipped gaily back into the forest; footsteps lighter as she gradually disappeared.

* * *

"Who?" Ren exclaimed; feeling eyes on himself. Ren tried to focus to the dark forest in front him; sensing the feeling emitting from there. He squinted his eyes but saw nothing; except maybe a twinkle of light. He blinked a little.

_Not only are the students weird; even the surrounding's weird…_

Ren decided to go back inside for class, in an effort to stop the goose bumps from rising.

* * *

Lyserg Diethel was always different than others in many ways; besides having green colour for his hair, he also looked more feminine than any boys his age and misunderstandings that he was a girl or a transsexual had actually happened rather frequently although he does not wear skirts or tie ponytails. He was not only different physically; he was also dissimilar mentally. He matured earlier than peers his age; being able to adapt to surroundings very quickly and has a very keen sense of observation; a trait he tried to keep under wraps as frequently as possible. However, it was not in these only aspects that he was unusual.

He can also make contact with the spiritual world.

When he was a little kid, he could already sense spirits and their presence; although he cannot see them. Incidentally, his parents also met because his father was an exorcist and his mother, a professor studying on paranormal activities. Their interest in this field had brushed off on Lyserg himself; he often had piqued curiousity towards these unnatural incidents and had a large library in his house focused only on this subject. In fact, the reason he came to Tokyo from England was also because his mother was taking a PhD in paranormal happenings and scientific investigation of the spiritual in one of the universities in Japan. It was about six months ago; in these six months; Lyserg had come to a conclusion and a realization (besides brushing up on his smattering of Japanese he learnt from various kinds of Japanese television series that he had watched back in England) that, Usui Horokeu and Asakura Yoh both were very interesting specimens.

He knew the moment he met them; when Yoh had so happily invited him to be his table partner.

A strong gloomy wave was clouding them. Upon surveillance; he also realized that Yoh and Horohoro carry masks. One masquerade to face the world; and the real one within that was stuck in depression and despair. Nevertheless, he had often wanted to tell them one protruding truth.

Their masks are actually useless.

He can see them in pain very well; struggling among seas of troubles and trying to stay floated without being dragged inside and sink.

However, it did not mean that he had the chance to help since Horohoro and Yoh avoid each other at every possible way.

Upon attending this school also, he had often felted a disturbing presence. The dead spirit of a girl was hounding him a lot (she was the wave looming over Yoh and Horohoro in the beginning, since Lyserg cannot see spirits or mood changes, she only wanted him to notice them); apparently she knew he was the son of an exorcist and therefore had some powers of his own and was able to communicate with spirits. He later learnt that she refuses to reincarnate because she cannot let Horohoro and Yoh go and had endured miseries in silence while witnessing them from afar; unable to give clues and points that she wanted them to stop all the guilt-building. Lyserg knew spirits with unfinished business were most sympathetic of all, and he decided to lend a hand, since they had made fast friends and somehow had trusted each other immediately. They struck a deal; the girl will go and reincarnate while Lyserg will take over whatever is needed to help these two teens become their normal selves one day.

Nevertheless, he came to a stumble block, a dead end; that must prolong the girl's suffering and his desperation to help her departure from the mortal world.

While Yoh had accepted him as a friend with ease; Horohoro was not exactly a social animal. He was cold to Lyserg (and everyone else for the matter), although Lyserg tried to be his friend. Yoh was also reluctant of to talk to Horohoro. Hence, he made the girl waited until the day when he will get assistance from someone else who can save Horohoro for her.

His light of hope came the day of the new student's arrival.

Tao Ren was from China; a faraway place like Lyserg, and had landed in Tokyo for a reason known only to himself. Lyserg had sensed tenseness emitting from the teen the moment Ren stepped into class; however, it was interpreted with a smirk. He knew Ren wanted to feel at ease; to adapt; but only made an impression that he was arrogant.

He was another person carrying a facade. Lyserg noticed that he was lonely, like Horohoro and Yoh, and somehow, fate had decided to drop a dice of backing by making Ren sit next to Horohoro and then engaging them in a brawl. Of course, he had his doubts, but it was cleared when he learnt that Horohoro kissed Ren.

He was _ideal_.

_Lyserg; I am convinced now, you really have good eyesight of choosing people! Please do your best, don't let my leaving be my last regret, you understand? _

Lyserg felted the girl's voice ringing in his ears as it gradually dissipated and hugged Yoh closer.

_I will do my best, don't worry.

* * *

_

"You've awoken."

Horohoro slightly frowned; his eyes shot open immediately to see the white plaster ceiling. Eyes slightly pained by the contrast of colours happening in his head, Horohoro sat up to stare straight into the serious faces of Nemu and Satsu. He frowned deeper and looked at himself. "How did I end up here?"

"You fainted in your class. I, Kaige Satsu, defender of your honour, saw you in your state and carried you here. You worried me and all the other fans of the fan club! Usui-kun, you really should take good care of your health! I can cook chicken stock if you like…"

"Satsu, keep quiet." Nemu hissed. Satsu bit her lip and stopped talking. Horohoro turned to Nemu and raised an eyebrow. The bespectacled girl coughed respectably and scribbled something on her notebook; an object Horohoro have not noticed was there before. "As you know, you fainted in class today. Satsu was passing by on patrol when she saw you in your pathetic state, got worried immediately and rushed you here."

"Therefore that explains all the screeching and screaming I've heard." Horohoro murmured sluggishly. Satsu blushed and covered her cheek somewhat bashfully, giggling as if Horohoro's words were rare honey, somewhat dancing around in happiness. Nemu shot her a look, and Satsu looked down, stopping her crazed fan-girl stupor. Satisfied with the quiet (and scary) environment, she turned back to Horohoro.

"We have prevented the fans from intruding, so you can rest in peace."

"Well, I suppose I should say thank you, is it?"

"You have no choice." Nemu replied matter-of-factly. "You own me."

"People like to talk about owning and all is it?" Horohoro spat, letting his legs fall off the bed, not looking at Nemu at all, but rather at the infirmary door. "You are president of my fan club, you know, and yet you don't speak like one."

"You are even lucky I create a club for you." Nemu replied as spitefully, not looking at Horohoro at her left, instead staring at the window. "All your fans are out of control."

"You can't blame the fact that I'm hot." Horohoro stated; as Satsu looked him with entranced eyes again. Nemu rolled her eyes and stood up to the door.

"They scare my poor sis. It's a shame that she would like you of all people." Nemu muttered before leaving. "Satsu, let's leave now, or you will disturb Horohoro sleeping."

"All right! Usui-kun, I'll guard your door to prevent any intruders, I promise!" Satsu grinned, before blushing again and ran clumsily to the door (you cannot run gently when you do not have a small body, no?) behind Nemu. Horohoro sighed a little at the closed door and sat down to the floor, hands holding his head.

_Why are you still so nice to me?_

_

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Gomenasai, I really wanted to put Anna in this chapter... but then I found out that I just cant because I need to put Lyserg first, and so... Anyway, things said, please R&R. Arigato...

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	5. Something About Anna

**Even if I have only one review, I'm still happy that someone paid attention to my story! ARIGATO!**

**On with next chapter and as usual, the disclaimer is: Not connected with Shaman King! (Nemu, Satsu and Kitsu is my characters, I'll delve more into them into the future)**

**And I read one book bout Shaman characters lately and realised that Lyserg's father is not an exorcist. Well, well, what can I say? They're not shamans anyway. Hahahahahhaahaa... ****

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Chapter 5: Something about Anna**

Ren sat by the windowpane of the car, silently rubbing his eyes from slight exhaustion, not noticing whatever was happening outside. The blurry images of trees and people passing his eyes did not really attract his attention now, so he looked back inside and plopped back on the soft leather cushion seat, closing his eyes. He really need some sleep now; these two days are really wearing him up…

"Bocchama, we have arrived."

"All right, thank you, Bason." Ren murmured, as he took his bag and walked out of the black Mercedes Benz wearily, his body pose somewhat bending forwardly as they walked.

"You should sleep after your lunch. I'll take care of Jun-bocchama…"

"I'll take care of her." Ren murmured. For the past two days (the night before Ren first arrived at school), his sister had been having high temperature fever and somehow, it had not cease, not even till today. Ren sighed as Bason opened the door and he entered.

"Bocchama, I protest, you are not having enough sleep! Don't worry; Lee and I are adept enough to take care of Jun-bocchama, we're servants after all!" Bason said proudly, looking at Ren in a somewhat paternally loving way. "You only had two hours of sleep yesterday, you know, and then you were off to school on that freaking early hour… It will definitely take a toll on your physical being if you lacked sleep tonight!"

"Bason… I'm the one that caused this quandary! If I had behaved well, we would still remain in China, living in that mansion, not disowned here in this foreign land with nothing!" Ren snapped, flinging his bag on the sofa as he headed for Jun's bedroom. "If anything happen to any of you, I'll have to be responsible!" Bason kept silent as he trailed behind Ren.

"Bocchama's home!" Another masculine voice announced as Lee Pyron appeared beside them, draped in an apron and holding some soup. "I have to give this to Jun xiaojie, your lunch is at the table!"

"That can wait." Ren replied coolly as they walked together. "What about Jie?" the raven haired man shook his head as they reached Jun's door.

"Still the same as yesterday, I think we really should find a doctor…"

* * *

Ryu grimaced at the voice on the other side as he picked up the phone. It was now eight o'clock at the night, but he had not left the school. Tons of paperwork on his table was proof of his busy and hectic lifestyle, a life glued to him ever since being appointed headmaster six years back. 

_A life he chosen to keep his emotions in another corner…_

Ryu scoffed at that thought and placed a blue coloured file his secretary had left for him, a report on student's extracurricular activities for the week that he was perusing the minute before to the table to focus on the conversation.

"Yes, Anna-san?"

"I hear there's an available job for me."

"Er, yeah, so there is."

"I'll be there tomorrow approximately at eight. Anything I need to do, any form to fill?"

"… You just report with Masako, she's my secretary."

"All right, I will report tomorrow. Oyasumi."

With the phone gag firmly back at place, Ryu wiped his sweat and took a deep breath. Anna was as always, frank and straight to the point. It was just relieving that she's not being_ scary_ now. Taking a sip of his double layered caffeinated coffee, Ryu felt new surge of energy searing in him. With a steeled determination, he focused back at the job at hand, smiling slightly.

A picture on his table smiled back at him; a woman dressed in a beautiful pastel dress with a straw hat on her head, cuddling a baby girl by the countryside.

* * *

Kyouyama Anna was a woman of grit, stubbornness and infamous temper. Many males (and females alike) were exposed to her iron lady-like trait before and was afraid of her to the bottom of their very hearts. Mention her name and get a room of cold sweated audience. See her at the supermarket and at least one metre radius around her will be void of human presence. In short, she is everyone's nightmare and dream; a woman everyone wishes to emulate but was also terrified of. Of course, this lady will surely attract her fair share of suitors, isn't it? Well, there was one such experience, but, um… 

"Anna-san, can you be my girlfriend?" a handsome young man dressed in a white tuxedo asked, hand clutching a bouquet of sweet smelling roses, kneeling in front of Anna in a room filled with soothing pale lights shining over them, over a candlelight dinner filled with scrumptious food and 82' wine in a well known Italian restaurant, kneeling in front of her and gazing at her with a 'you're-my-one-and-only' look.

Supposedly the best environment ever to propose courtship, isn't it?

"Takeru-kun, what is this freaking smelling thing you're offering me?" Anna spat in disgust, holding a hand over her nose. "Ah, the lights are blearing my eyes! The food looks unpleasant, I really felted like vomiting! Why are you still showing the terrible smelling things?!" Anna closed her eyes in loath as she swept the roses away, Takeru looking at the floor with bulging eyes.

"I… I bought that for ten thousand yen!"

"Everything is not right! Argh, I cannot believe you will even call me out to this hell-like place! I hate Italian food, you know?!" In the midst of her tirade, Anna had walked near the candles and _knocked them over the poor man's coat._

"Argh! Argh! I used my whole month's salary to buy this!!" Takeru cried. Anna looked at him in horror. "Oh no! My coat's on fire!"

"I'll help!" She immediately poured some wine on his coat to try to extinguish the fire, but instead she succeeded only in making the fire growing _bigger_. "Takeru-san! Oh my god, what have I done? I'll call the police!" Anna exclaimed, ignorant to the pleas that are getting more intense. She ran out from the restaurant on supposed claim for help; making the other customers lend a hand in the process and creating riot.

Unfortunately, she never returned.

(She did not spare him because she said he was dumb enough to propose before the meal, which was the thing she looked forward _most_ to in a date.)

Said suitor stayed in the hospital for a month for serious burns (the people in the restaurant realized too late, an hour later, that Anna would not call for any help, while the restaurant did not have not have fire extinguisher to smother it, poor guy), became bankrupt (all his money's gone just for this purpose) and got his heart broken for eternity (the last time Anna checked, he was still single and unattached).

Now, Anna was not exactly evil and wicked in the first place. The one man that made her became the person she was today were not evil at all as well.

Nevertheless, some things cannot be underestimated; sometimes, a person should be treated only with moderation…

* * *

"Anna-chan, this is Ryu-niichan! We are childhood friends, you know." Silva beamed. Four year old Anna looked up at a teenager with an abnormally long length of hair pointing frontward, holding a wooden sword. Said teen smiled kindly at her. Anna frowned and hid behind Silva, suspicious of this newbie. Silva laughed while patting her head. "Ryu, Anna-chan here is still a little shy; her parents are out of the country working; and I'm busy today; I suppose you can help me take care of her for a day?" Silva asked; looking at his friend. Ryu nodded willingly. 

"Of course I will, my dear friend, she is so kawaii! Well, I'll take over now. I thought you have classes? You better leave quickly!" Ryu advised, looking at his watch. Silva nodded and pulled Anna out from his back.

"You two have fun, all right? I'll be back before six, I promise!" Silva assuaged the little girl, and then sat on his bicycle. "Ryu will be nice to you, I swear! If he mistreats you, you can tell me and I'll hit him fro you!" With that, teenaged Silva rode away. Anna stared at the disappearance that was familiar and looked back to this unfamiliar face. Ryu knelt down and tried to hold her hand but Anna backed away, her eyebrows twitching in uncertainty. The teen bit his lip and the child blinked in curiousity.

Suddenly, a rose came out from Ryu's hand and he offered it to her.

"A beautiful rose, just for an attractive lady, would you please talk to me? I'm called Ryu, I am sixteen this year. I hope we can become friends!" Anna blinked even rapidly, head tilting to a side, puzzled. Ryu gingerly placed the rose in her grasp and held her hand at the same time. "Don't be afraid of me, all right?"

"Ryu-niichan?" was all Anna said. Ryu's lip curled.

"Yes, Ryu-niichan, though you can call me kaljuu-niichan!" Ryu offered, making a face. Anna suddenly cracked into a bubble of a laugh at his expression and Ryu stared at her awestruck. "You know, you look really pretty when you laugh; surely, many men will fall for you in the future! I will tell them, Anna-chan is mine, you cannot snatch her away!"

"Really…?" Anna asked, somewhat warming up to him. Ryu carried her up and placed her in his arms, nodding.

"Sure, now, now, let our princess and this handsome knight here, which is me (Anna giggled again) go on a journey, eh?"

With that, their friendship began.

* * *

A blooming friendship took a twist when Anna was seven. She was running home from school with her report card to show to her Ryu-niichan. He had been telling her to study hard and now she had got flying colours! Pleased with herself, she had just reached Ryu's door when she saw him and a girl kissing in front of the porch. She stopped abruptly on her tracks, shocked by the scene she saw. 

A weird expression rose in Anna, something she could not decipher; though she knew what kisses meant by then; a symbol of love among two individuals. And she could see clearly they were deeply in love. She turned back and ran, tears falling out immediately.

She knew, her Ryu-niichan will be snatched away from her very soon, and she hated that feeling.

It was when Ryu tied the knot with Jeanne a year later, did she know that feeling she had felted so strongly was called _love_. Her heart was played with, smashed around, and left alone. Surely, she told herself it was nothing; after all, one day they must grow up and apart, but deep inside, she knew; she cannot forgive Ryu for what he did; his action of betrayal. She hated Jeanne even more; she was the _culprit_ that had snatched her Ryu-niichan away.

That day, Anna hatched a plan in her head; an immature one, nonetheless, but it was something Anna knew must be done to show Ryu that she, Kyouyama Anna, was also a _girl_ and worthy of his attention. She was his Anna-chan, he was _her_ Ryu-niichan!

She grew cold to everyone, becoming an icy princess, and sealed her reputation totally the day Ryu and Jeanne came to show their newborn to her.

"Anna, this is our baby! Ryu wanted to let you give her a name; can you help us do the honour?" Jeanne had said oh-so-gently, but it sounded like darts to Anna's ears. In a moment of anger, she slapped Jeanne, making Ryu and Jeanne stare at shock at an eight year old Anna.

"You two are very noisy. Please leave." Anna said arrogantly. Ryu touched his wife's reddened cheek, and slapped Anna back, eyes in anger.

"You must be respectful to Jeanne! She's your onee-chan!"

"I don't care." Anna replied in spite, although tears were welling in her eyes and the pain on her cheek was actually in more pain than thought (feelings can attribute to the intensity of one's pain, she learnt later). "I don't want any onee-chan, you understand? Don't find me anymore; I don't want to see any of you! You two bore me a LOT." Walking haughtily from the blissful couple (although her eyes were reddening profusely and she was biting her lip to control the tears), Anna never turned back to see the hurt expression on Ryu's face.

With that incident marking its territory, Ryu and Anna drifted apart; for fifteen years, Ryu became like the others; fearing her scary glares, her one-liners, and her emotionless attitude. In an effort to get Ryu to notice her more, she had instead failed even miserably.

* * *

When Jeanne and their teenaged daughter died in a car crash a year ago, Ryu's world fall apart. He became less aloof, colder; more stressed. To the outside world; he was no longer the warm; funny; happy person. In short, he changed. Anna and Ryu met again during their funeral. Although Anna wanted really much to comfort Ryu; to tell him it was all right; she will be there for him; she knew it was impossible. Jeanne held Ryu's heart so tight and so long; that when its let go Ryu could not let another enter his heart so easily; while she had been so distant and out of his reach; no longer the little girl that used to follow Ryu to the amusement park to play or the little bright bulb that used to cheer Ryu up whenever he was sad with her cheery demeanour. She was not naïve however; she knew his heart will open again one day; but this time; she is determined to be the only one inside. 

Sometimes, she would still regret for letting Ryu away. Another part of her felt miserable for hating Jeanne and their daughter without knowing them well. Nevertheless, above all, she is still confused why after so long, whenever she glanced at those raven eyes and weird shape of a hair that changes according to the owner's wills and emotions, her heart will still jump unpredictably and speedily. A friend told her before, "True love comes but once".

_Maybe it is really true love for me…_

Now that there was a chance for her to come back in Ryu's life; she practically jumped at it since Silva knew how much his niece loved his oblivious best friend (that was the reason why he even offered her the job at the first place). Another chance to be near Ryu again; Anna would not let it go away for nothing.

She will prove to Ryu, she is capable of mending his heart.

"Moshi-moshi, is this Ryu-san?" She murmured at the phone. A minute pause, then the voice replied.

"Yes, Anna-san?" Anna's heart stopped. It was so unbelievable that after so long, he still recognized her!

"I hear there's an available job for me." Anna murmured at last, feigning calmness; a thing she was very good in doing after so long.

"Er, yeah, so there is." His voice was not exactly_ welcoming_. Nevertheless, Anna did not give up.

"I'll be there tomorrow approximately at eight. Anything I need to do, any form to fill?" Another pause, then…

"… You just report with Masako, she's my secretary."

"All right, I will report tomorrow. Oyasumi." When the gag was placed down; Anna did not let the gag go, but instead she tightened her grip and took a sigh.

_I hope this will work.

* * *

Well, please comment on this chapter. I know becoming icy for guys attention may be thought as cliche and stupid, but what can you expect from an eight year old? Sometimes the way children sees things are different from adults... _

**Glossary**

Jie-(elder) sister

Xiaojie- miss

Kawaii- cute

Kaljuu- monster

Yep, there was a crossover. From Cardcaptor Sakura, the surname of Daidouji Tomoyo was used as the name of the school. I picked it because Tomoyo-chan was always holding a video camera; in this story it was watching over most of the happenings of the main characters. And yeah, Toya like to call Sakura kaljuu, just a reference shared (for Ryu and Anna), I DO NOT SUPPORT INCEST! Please review. Arigato.


	6. The Commemoration Of Beauty

**I posted this chapter earlier than expected, because I won't be free in the next few days and I wanted to finish this chapter quick. Thanks for reviews, god, I love them a lot, please do continue reviewing! A very big ARIGATO to those who reviewed!**

**Disclaimer: No connections with Shaman King whatsoever...

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Chapter 6: The Commemoration of Beauty

It was a clear blue day on that fine summer, a perfect weather for a holiday. The sun and clouds were smiling merrily at the participants who noticed its attendance; and one particular family along the freeway was one of them. Ryu was driving behind the wheel; his wife Jeanne was giggling at him as he sang some songs whilst their daughter Pirika sat behind, head moving along to the songs Ryu sang. It was summer; as usual, their routine was to go to the beach, or in Ryu's favourite phrase, the perfect place. The perfect place away from the hustle and bustle of the city; an ideal destination to get some fresh untainted air.

"I love the blue sky, forever the blue sky…" Ryu sang aloud, his hair bobbing as his body followed the groove of his tune. Jeanne, holding their picnic basket, laughed as their daughter; Pirika, followed suit.

"You are giving Piri bad influence!" Jeanne teased as Pirika showed her tongue at the front mirror of the car, her expression reflecting to the two adults in front, and continued singing. Ryu showed his teeth in a toothy grin and moved forward, singing near Jeanne's ear, making the brown haired woman blush in mock annoyance. "Ryusuke, stop! Look in front, you have to be careful when you're driving!"

"All right, all for Jeanne dear!" Ryu sang as he focused on his steer. Pirika followed again, making Jeanne look back from her seat and glared at her.

"You are just like your oto-san!"

"Well, that's what makes okaa-san love us in the first place!" Pirika mischieviously answered. Ryu nodded vigorously at his 'partner in crime' while Jeanne rolled her eyes.

If you had seen this family, you really would not have thought they were _actually_ one. Umemiya Ryusuke, or Ryu to people who know him (in fact, Jeanne was the only one who calls him by his full name), was too jolly, happy-go-lucky, and somewhat _immature_ to be a father while Pirika acts as if Jeanne and Ryu were her siblings; they were that close. Despite being a teenager and having 'teenager problems', she was always happy to share it with the most important people of her life; Ryu and Jeanne. They were the best of friends; no secrets are kept from each other; in fact, Ryu and Jeanne can tell detailed high points of their only daughter's life when some parents might fret at having a rebellious son or daughter who prefers hanging out with his or her friends than sharing the same minutes with the adults they call parents. Umemiya Pirika had help from her father in form of studies (Ryu did not become a headmaster with a head filled with nothing) and from her mother; the same taste of attire and advice when needed. To be precise, Pirika had the best parents any child or teenager could have.

Unfortunately, children had to grow up; to free themselves from cages known as homes and make their mark in the adult world; to have a successful career and then pay back to their parents for everything they have done in the investing for their offspring's' future. It depends on a child's maturity; the faster they mature; the quicker they leave the nest.

Regardless of whether Pirika had pried away completely from the teenaged world into the adult world is yet to be seen (She is only 15, after all), but unfortunately for her, she will no longer be able to pay back to her parents in the future, whether she like it or not.

"Ha-ha, look at your okaa-san! She is happy isn't she?" Ryu pointed a finger at Jeanne's nose and Pirika grinned like a Cheshire Cat. Jeanne, whose face was reddening by the minute, tore away from her husband and looked in front, her face changing completely immediately.

"Ryu! Watch out!"

"What…" Ryu turned, but he never had a chance to finish his sentence.

He never will.

* * *

Anna looked at the article that she was holding from just now, the page wilting in a ghastly yellow, since the particular segment from the newspaper had lasted for about a year, yet the printed black words were still clear as the sky as if it cannot be faded away from the world eternally. The bold words reading "_**Mother and daughter perished in encounter with drunk lorry driver**_" was drilling into her mind continuously; as if wanting her to remember the effect it had on her childhood (?) crush and how it had impinged her life.

"Kyouyama-san, you can go in now. Umemiya-san will be waiting for you." Masako murmured respectfully from her table after coming out from Ryu's office, having announcing Anna's arrival. Anna stood up from her seat and nodded.

"Arigato." Anna replied with the same grace as she knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Anna straightened her blue skirt and gently nudged the door open. Dressed in a piece of brown executive suit is Ryu, hands clenched together in a supposedly stern and cool pose when Anna can see he was actually trembling; face weaved into a business-like face (despite appearance of sweat beads that actually made him look even more vulnerable). She swallowed her own saliva of nervousness and sat down opposite him. After all, this is their first proper conversation since _ages_.

"Hello, Ryu-san. I am here to report."

"So you are. Anna-san, you will be assigned to be my advisor to counsel me in administration affairs of this school. Your place will be next to Masako, since we have a lack of cubicles…"

"All right, I hope the school hadn't changed much since I left school six years ago…" Anna interrupted. "… and you became the new headmaster since then."

"I do not mean to avoid you, Anna-san. It was just pure coincidence that I became headmaster only after you _left_. The previous headmaster wanted to serve until the end of the school term." Ryu replied although his expression clearly told the truth.

"I understand you are afraid I will, in any way, be a threat to Jeanne-san and Pirika-san, therefore you chose to avoid me at all costs. No worries though, I wouldn't be any longer." Anna snapped coolly.

Ryu gazed at her in an unfathomable look.

Anna winced a little as the words echoed on the white walls, blatantly realising her mistake, but her feigned ego was too proud to admit that she was in the wrong. She only coughed slightly violently and hoped Ryu did not see the guilt building in her eyes.

"Anyway, your first job will be to view the files of the students in the past six years. You can get the files needed from Masako, she has been with me for all the years I'm here, and therefore if you had any enquiries you can ask her immediately." Ryu said without batting an eyelid, himself looking at his spotless table. Anna followed his eyes and spotted Jeanne's picture with a baby Pirika. The guilt mounted even more. She bit her lip, thinking of a way to lessen the uptight awkwardness.

"Ryu-niichan." Anna began, after a long worthwhile silence, her fingers already gripping on her papers tightly. Ryu blinked from hearing the long forgotten nickname and focused back to her, somewhat disbelieving. "Ryu-niichan, can I still call you that?"

Apparent shock emitted from the man sitting opposite her.

"Yeah… yeah, sure."

"Ryu-niichan, you and Jeanne-neechan really were perfect for each other. I admit I hated it when she married you; but I have understood that you two really loved each other. I am very sorry she and Pirika-san died. Please try to be strong and live on. Dwelling in the past is not a good thing."

"Anna-san…"

"Headmaster!" Masako ran in, her face upset. "You have to go to the auditorium; it's time for your speech!"

"All right; I will be there now. Anna-san, you follow me, I'm going to introduce you to the students. Afterwards, you can begin on the aforementioned task."

Cutting through the broken glass that was the uncomfortable situation, Ryu walked out while draping a winter coat around his shoulders, Anna following suit.

Masako swore she saw Anna looking a little down as they passed by her like wind.

* * *

"When Yoh and I reached the headmaster's office yesterday, you were already gone." Lyserg murmured as he sat with Yoh and Ren. Ren nodded.

"I was outside. Achoo!"

"Ren, you must have got cold!" Yoh muttered in concern, his head sprouting out from Lyserg's right. "Did you wear extra clothing?'

"Yes, I did… Achoo!" Ren sneezed again. "Damn the cold…"

"Isn't that Usui? Let's get him to sit with us! Usui!" Lyserg called all of a sudden. Yoh inwardly flinched while Ren slapped his own head. Horohoro, who was walking past them, raised an eyebrow.

"What are you calling me for?"

"Come on, sit down!" Lyserg cheerily spoke as he stood up and pushed Horohoro down to sit beside Ren. Satsu appeared almost immediately, as if on cue, balling her hand into a fist, aiming for Lyserg as she ran to their place.

"Lyserg Diethel, what are you doing, harming Usui-kun like that?!"

"He's sitting with Ren." Lyserg murmured, himself sitting back on his original seat. Satsu gave a look of surprise and then beamed, while Ren and Horohoro raised eyebrows of confusion.

"Well, if it's Ren-chan then I'm all right." Satsu said; a twinkle in her eyes. Ren felted goose bumps rising in his body and rubbed his nose instead. "This winter commemoration is held only once a year by the student's council, dedicated to the winter's arrival; I love it a lot! I wonder what Nemu-sama will do this year; she's the president of the student council after all…"

"I don't care. Just get this get over quickly." Horohoro absent-mindedly snapped. Satsu looked at him, face hurt.

"She's president of your fan club…"

"She's…" Horohoro began, but a hand on his shoulder made him turn and stopped his words.

"Horohoro, I hope you will like this show." Nemu murmured; voice cold and unfriendly as always. Behind her was a horde of girls, her followers possibly; and all of them swooned when Horohoro rolled his eyes, pushing Nemu's hand away. Ren shrugged a little, remembering their meeting yesterday. Is she this cold to _everyone_? Nemu glanced at him and Ren twitched a little, sneezing again. "Ren-chan, please stick to him if you may, I do not want him to run away and flirt with other girls."

"What do you mean by that?" Horohoro spat. Hearing an echo, he turned to his right and realized Ren had asked the same question, except that Ren's words were punctuated with a sneeze. Satsu giggled a little, clasping her hands together in happiness.

"You two are so_ compatible_!"

"Shut up!" Ren snapped. Horohoro glared at him, having said the same thing.

"Why are you _copying_ my words?"

"Well, it's because you two are fated together. Simple." Nemu concluded. The two teens shot daggers at her, then at each other.

"I shouldn't be sitting here." Horohoro murmured and stood up. "I do not wish to suffer from any more physical injuries."

"What do you mean?" Ren challenged, standing up also.

"Usui!" Lyserg exclaimed in desperation as he stood up to assuage the two. "Come on, you need some friends! Sit down; don't move around, all the students are here now!" With that, he pushed Horohoro and Ren down. Ren sneezed again. Yoh glanced at him with worry.

"Ren, perhaps you need to go to the infirmary. I'll accompany you."

"He'll be fine with an extra winter coat." Nemu muttered as one of her followers dropped her coat around Ren, smothering him in the process. "You cannot miss the show of today." With that, she walked off; all of a sudden, the noises of talking girls dispersed.

"Scary…" Yoh murmured.

"Well, she _is_ Morika Nemu." Horohoro muttered loud enough for four of them to hear. Yoh pretended not to listen and instead looked towards the preparations on the stage. Ren raised his eyebrow while adjusting the coat; it was indeed warm. Did he miss something?

"Talking about it, what show will they put? I am anxious to know! Last year they had this beautiful snow dance. I like this celebration a lot!" Lyserg said quickly, making Ren turn to him and they began talking about the dance. Horohoro and Yoh kept silent, having sat furthest from each other.

"Hello, students. Today I am glad we have all assembled here for our yearly winter commemoration. Now, I also wish to introduce a new lady into our workforce; her name is Kyouyama Anna." Mr. Ryu announced as a shoulder length brown haired woman standing beside him nodded. A few gasps were heard from the audience. "Yes, she is once a student of our school. In fact, she was the pioneer student council president that held this tribute. Do you want to have a word, Anna-san?"

"Thank you, Ryu-san. Well, I only have a principle, which I hold steadfastly until now. With determination, nothing is impossible."

"Thank you…"

"Did you know that the entire student council was actually suffering during her hold six years ago?" Lyserg muttered. "Apparently she overworked them!" Yoh nodded.

"Nevertheless, they say that that year's performance remained unbeatable by its predecessors. We'll see what Morika-san can achieve this year, since both of them are kind of similar."

"How did you all know? I thought you two were not in this school yet."

"Well, her legacy lives on." Horohoro spoke. "That year, it was the flying snow dragon. The dragon seemed so real that it felted like the dragon was really soaring in the sky and above the audience."

"Wow…" Ren could not let the word remain in his mouth; it sounded very majestic.

"Kawaii!!! Ren-chan and Usui-kun look so good together!" A group of girls behind them screamed. Ren blushed as he sank deeper in his coat and sweared that he will _not_ talk to Horohoro anymore. The other just adjusted his bandana and stayed silent as the headmaster and the new recruit left the stage. Then, Nemu came on top of the stage and bowed.

"Well, first and foremost, I am very pleased that Anna-sempai can be here to watch this year's winter commemoration with us. With no further ado, let the show begin!"

Fireworks burst into the air out of nowhere in an array of colours. It reflected in the students' eyes, giving a breathtaking illumination of light. Horohoro felted his eyes spin…

* * *

"Horohoro-sempai, look at the fireworks! They are so beautiful!" A girl said in wonder as the colours swam in her eyes. Horohoro shrugged.

"They always put fireworks before the show. Come on, you've seen it every year."

* * *

Ren stared at the fireworks, stunned by this majestic beauty.

"They are so beautiful…"

Horohoro turned to him, his mouth gaping in realization.

* * *

"Well, when I was younger, I have always dreamed of seeing fireworks." The girl murmured, blushing.

* * *

"Are they really beautiful, Ren?" Lyserg asked. "They show this every year."

"Well…" Ren began, a starry look in his eyes, "When I was younger, I have always dreamed of seeing fireworks…"

* * *

"Don't worry; you will get to see this in every year of your school life here." Horohoro kindly spoke. She smiled shyly as the fireworks erupted into its last glamour.

* * *

Ren could not blink his eyes for even a second as the colours before him turned into one single form of golden shining luminescence. Once the surreal moment insinuatingly disappeared, he felted something warm flowing through his body. Looking to his left…

He realised that Horohoro had held his hand gently.

"Ren, I swear this will not be the only fireworks you will ever see in your school life."

Ren blinked and subsequently blushed.

* * *

**How did you think of this chapter? Please review. Arigato!!!! Well, I'm planning to keep the mysterious girl's name longer, but its established that she is Nemu's younger sister, so... Who do you think she is?**


	7. Sidetrack

**This chapter is shorter than before, because I finished this overnight. You see, I've just started pre university studies and preparing for it really consumes my time. All the stuff... Ugh, Nevertheless, I think it'll be a very fun experience since I had a time listening to the lectures. Well, bored sometimes, but overall it still instilled in me the spirit to study (thank god for short speeches). All right, first few things I would like to say. One, the previous story i've deleted was until chapter 6 only, so I was estatic when this story finally stepped into its chapter 7. If you had some questions about it, you can always check my profile for clarifications. I swear I would not delete this story no matter what. If I do that, you can bear witness here and just shun my stories forever. Second thing, on my statement of 'not supporting incest' or something similar some chapters back. Actually, I just do not support SIBLINGS incest, though MasterofRiddles is making me change my mind on the HaoYoh twincest... hmmm... ****Anyway, thanks to her for reviewing. I love you so much:-) **

**On with the story! (Lol, definitely no connections with Shaman King's real plot, though I was wondering on doing some crossovers. You think it's appropriate?)

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Chapter 7: Sidetrack

The bright light shone over the green grass, showing its jolly demeanor as two young boys lay resting on the grass, eyes closed, hands gripping on badminton racquets, calmly basking on the friendly heat upon their bodies. They were exhausted from a game they had played earlier. Yoh turned to the boy on his right and smiled a little, eyes in satisfaction.

"Good game we played, Horohoro."

"You were only saying that because you are the better player." Horohoro sulked a little. "Every time we play I'm sure to lose." Yoh laughed heartily and sat up, brushing his hair as the wind blew it into disarray.

"Well, at least you're good in drawing. I cannot even draw a decent face." Yoh pouted. Horohoro sat up as well, adjusting his tee shirt and producing a drawing board out of nowhere.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me. I drew something yesterday. Give me your comment." Yoh took the bright blue drawing board and stared at the picture Horohoro drew. It was the picture of a swallow flying in the skies. Each shape and feature was drawn with precision; even the clouds look proportionate in the background. Trust Horohoro to make such a magnificent drawing. "I saw this swallow yesterday when I was walking home and it gave me an inspiration to draw. I name it, 'Freedom'. Unbridled by cages or locks, being able to fly around without any worries in the air, that is true independence to me." Yoh, who was scrutinizing the picture, placed the board back down and frowned at his friend, who was looking dreamily into the air.

"Your father hit you again, didn't he?" Horohoro's eyes snapped and he looked down. Yoh bit his lip, realizing he had guessed right. "Well, when will you and your mother move out? My house can always accommodate you both."

"It's not that simple, Yoh." Horohoro replied bitterly.

* * *

Usui Horokeu belonged to a broken family. Since he was young, he was witness to the abuses his drunken father gave to his mother. Seeing the pale, fragile body on the kitchen floor had always raged his senses, making him want to shout aloud at this monster.

_Get your hands off okaa-san! Leave us alone!_

Nevertheless, each time was also a futile attempt since his each time alcohol entered his brain he became another person. He will become an aggressive; just lashing out everything to everyone in his sight. Each time, his mother would lock him in a closet and whisper to him to be silent, to be a good boy; he wanted okaa-san to be proud of him right? Each time, Horohoro had to remain quiet as the lithe body bled from the holes of the closet, not a single moan to be heard. Every time, after his father was done with filling his own insanely pleasures, he would fall on the nearest couch and snored liked no man's worth, leaving the mother to pick up herself again before unlocking their young son from the cupboard.

Soon, no cupboard in their quaint little house can fill Horohoro's rapidly growing self; he turned to a victim also. Somehow, his father had also grown maniacal, even without alcohol. How many burns he and his mother had suffered, Horohoro had lost count. The lashes from canes, hits and kicks, Horohoro and his mother received was beyond humane levels, but the same mantra his mother kept on telling him had stopped him. She was peace loving, friendly, warm, and somehow Horohoro suspected despite all the beastly actions done on them, she _loved _his father.

_Horo-chan, please believe that he does love you. I love you too, so please be a good boy and listen to okaa-san, all right?_

This mantra was the only reason he had not bolted or killed the man with whom he had to share a surname and blood relation.

* * *

Soon, Horohoro was ten years old. Fairly tall among his peers, he grew up to be a quiet and reserved boy, since his hair was meshed with blue and black and he always received teases and insults from the neighbourhood bullies. His only companions were Asakura Yoh, his kindergarten friend, and his drawing board. Horohoro loved drawing. Every time he drew something, he would let Yoh see. Every praised artwork from Yoh, Horohoro will rush home to his beloved mother and let him see the picture as well. She would smile at him, although Horohoro can see that she was no longer strong than before and was beginning to have various deseases. Horohoro could only close his eyes from seeing her growing thin until she was mere skin and bones, not only because they had no money to see the doctor, but also because she was a strong believer in the spiritual and unbelievable, and refuses any kind of medication.

"Come out here, woman!" His father's rough bellow woke Horohoro up from where he was; sitting next to his mother, who was lying on bed and chanting some queer looking beads. "Where are you? You want to play hide and seek? I'll play with you!" his father's gruff footsteps on the steps shook them, for he was a large man. Horohoro's mother coughed a little and stood up, having finishing her prayers. Horohoro immediately pushed her back to the bed.

"You are not going out! Didn't he know you are sick! Okaa-san, don't go!" Horohoro pleaded as he tried all his might to keep her on the bed.

"Horo-chan, it's our fate, we must submit to fate, you understand? If you ever try to fight fate, it will backfire on you. Horo-chan, don't stop me!"

"Okaa-san! We have choices in life! Why must you suffer like this?" Horohoro plead again, hoping his mother would stop struggling as the man outside rattled the locked door roughly.

"You are trying to hide away, eh? Trust me; you would not have the chance! Few more minutes and I'll get to you already!"

"Let me go!" Horohoro's mother screamed for the last time as she pushed her son away with the last muster of strength and his face landed squarely on the bedpost.

As the bedroom door flung open, the last thing Horohoro registered was blackness.

* * *

"You are not an adult! Your mother was not able to withstand all the pains, and you are just a kid receiving the same blows!" Yoh protested. "What is not simple? You are just giving yourself excuses, you know?"

"Stop it, Yoh." Horohoro murmured, slowly rubbing his scar that was starting to ache.

* * *

Thanks to his mother's last spurt of energy, Horohoro had ended up with a bloodied forehead. The scar was not pretty; it was hideous and the first time Horohoro saw it for himself he cried. It did not help that his father come in flamboyantly into his hospital room, albeit being tugged by his grief-stricken wife, and stared at him with satisfaction.

"Look at you!" he had said. "You are now an imperfect freak just like your _mother_!"

It stripped Horohoro of his esteem even further; he became a little snail; hiding in its shell, a little hermit who had shut himself from the world. he would hide himself in his house everyday, refusing to step out of the house for even one day (hence skipping school) and remaining in his room in that house scarce of love and care, furiously drawing every day. The bullies who used to make fun of his hair grew bored of booing him outside his house everyday with no response and focused to another victim. It was a week of confinement before Yoh grew sick of it.

He practically barged into Horohoro's room, where Horohoro was once again smudging the entire paper with black crayon (the only form of 'drawing' he had been doing since coming out of the hospital). Pissed with him, Yoh had dragged him out by the collar and pushed him out to the street, scolding him in bubbling rage.

"You only have a god damn scar, for god's sake! Are you going to act like the world's over?"

"Yoh-chan! What are you doing to Horo-chan? A freak like him should stay at home before my husband reaches home!" Horohoro's mother had wailed in between garlic rings around her neck, trying to get Horohoro back inside the house as Horohoro tried to reach to his mother. Yoh was wedged between them, and luckily, he was strong enough to handle the pressure from both sides.

"Yoh, please let me get back in, we must surrender to fate and let me suffer!"

"Shut the fuck up!" The vulgarity in the other boy's words silenced the beforehand struggling mother and son. They stared blankly at Yoh, who took a deep breath before continuing. "Your life is yours, Horohoro. There's no such thing as surrendering to fate. You must create your own future; understand? You are the one who taught me that, have you forgotten? You have dreams; you have wishes. Damn, if you and your mother stayed under on that man you call a father; how can you protect her? How can you stay strong?"

"I need no protection! It's called destiny, you rude boy had better go home and not disturb!" All of a sudden, Yoh fell to the floor, being pushed by the woman called Horohoro's mother. The black haired lady glared at him, Yoh felt her cold stares icier than the icicles that Horohoro had shown him last winter when they had went snow boarding, the musty garlic smell making his nose wrinkle. He closed his eyes, fearful of what will happen next (or was it because of the garlic? He was not sure). It was a pause. Half frightened; he slowly opened an eye.

Horohoro was clutching his mother's wrist, with tears in his eyes.

"Okaa-san! Please stop! He's my only friend! I beg you, please don't hit him!"

"Horo-chan! He had been so impolite to us and now you are helping him?!" Horohoro's mother raised her voice in a hysterical tone, the garlic rings shaking in agreement. It would have been a funny scene if not for the expression of the two people standing in front of him. Horohoro was standing with tears from his eyes, attempting his hardest not to cry out; while the other was blank as a sheet of paper encircled by the odour inducing preservative, a medicine believed to be able to fend off vampires.

"Okaa-san, let's us go back now!" With that, the door slammed in front of Yoh's face.

* * *

"Your scar still hurt?" Yoh stared at his friend. Horohoro adjusted his bandana covering the scar and smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. The scar is less painful now. Thanks a lot Yoh, for standing by me all the time. You really are my best friend. Don't worry, if things really get out of control I'll move over with okaa-san, all right? Even if I have to drag her along, I promise."

"Well, what are friends for?" Yoh grimaced slightly. "I respect your decision. Anyway, let's go back. We're in time for school now; I believe I heard Kazuki-sensei grumbling yesterday. Some new student coming."

"Ha-ha, I believe she'll be mentally crying why on earth Ryu-san always places her classes at first periods."

"It's bliss, isn't it? Less history lessons."

With that said, the two friends laughed heartily as their shadows left the field, unaware of the dark shapes moulding that signified the plight befalling them, which was anything but bliss.

* * *

**Well, this is a flashback chapter, as you can see, before their big brawl which I had not wrote yet on paper (or computer, but I think it's not important, ne?) and still remain a mystery. Why don't you try and make guesses? No prizes but... Just for fun! Hahaha... Till next chapter, please read and review!**


	8. Transition

**I'll make this quick before homework starts to toil me. Thanks again, MasterofRiddles! On with the story!

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Chapter 8: Transition **

"What are you doing?" A voice murmured all of a sudden; and Horohoro looked to his right. Yoh was staring at him and Ren, eyebrows immediately twitching. Somehow, during the fireworks show, Yoh was noticing Horohoro and was currently standing over them dangerously, Lyserg failing to stop him. Horohoro immediately let go of Ren and stood up as well, locking eyes with the black haired teen. Ren turned his heads at the two. This is not very pleasant, he can feel, not more when the girls behind shrieked again. Horohoro and Yoh glared at the horde of girls, both carrying eyes filled in unspoken fury. Ren shivered a little. Lyserg bit his lip in nervousness. The girls screamed.

"Horohoro-senpai is so cool!!"

"You all are very annoying." Horohoro snapped in a stony tone.

"Horohoro-senpai's angry at us!!!" the girls murmured in exclamation and burst out crying. The sound of girls weeping immediately dragged attention to the audience and Yoh made a grab for Horohoro's collar.

"I have unfinished business with you." With that, Yoh dragged Horohoro away, leaving Ren bewildered, confused and angered at the same time. Staring back, he hissed at the fan girls, whose cries had just maximized ten-fold with the attention trained upon them.

"Just shut up!"

* * *

The official performance began. Every student had seemingly forgotten whatever uproar there was to focus on a lone figure coming to stage. It was Nemu, and she gave a bow before clapping her hands together. 

Behind her four students, dressed in ninja outfits jumped out of nowhere. They made a circle, and Nemu took her leave from the stage. The students looked in awe, as they seemed to be lighting a rocket.

Sparks flew to the sky.

Lyserg slowly slipped away as Ren gaped again at another wonder.

* * *

"What do you think of today's show, Kyouyama-san?" Ryu asked as he walked along the office hallway with Anna after the celebration has ended and every student had returned to class. Anna turned to gaze at the headmaster while folding her winter coat to carry on her arm. 

"The show was all right. Morika-san really did an excellent job. I believe it's better than the past years, don't you think, Ryu-san?" Hearing Anna calling him Ryu-_san_ again actually calmed him a lot. It meant Anna was back to normal. Perhaps she was currently at the phase people call 'that time of the month' and was having some mood swings. She is a woman after all. He heaved a sigh of relief. "Why are you being so quiet, Ryu-san?"

"Ah, nothing, nothing!" Ryu laughed in a silly manner, hand promptly behind his neck. "Ha-ha!"

"You are weird sometimes. No wonder my uncle says you are an idiot." Anna mused, entering the office now. Ryu glared at her; face flushed indignantly.

"I'm not weird! I am just easily distracted!"

"What ever." Anna replied as she sat down on her seat. "I believe I must start my work now, Ryu-san baka."

"Kyouyama-san!!"

* * *

Ren returned to class, feeling somewhat disconcerted. The two places in front of him are empty, so is his left seat. Where had they gone? 

_You are nothing._

Damn! Why is that dreaded voice haunting him again? Ren was sure he had tucked it inside his brain safely, why bother him again?!

_Don't you know? No one cares about you. _

To distract himself, he began to do a piece of homework, his fingers clenched tight unconsciously around the pencil he was holding, producing thick, coarse, uneven words of unreadable alphabets. Ren was fighting this derision again, resisting again…

"Jie…" Ren cried as he kneeled beside the slumped body of Tao Jun in front of the ancestry tablets and sculptures of gods of their family shrine. "Jie, what's wrong? Please talk to me, Jie…"

"Ren." A blood-curdling voice began, emitting from the entrance of the shrine. Ren hugged his cloth bear tighter, still crouched near his motionless sister. He was afraid of this tone void of emotion that was always seemed to bring out the worst in him… "Your sister was selfish, don't you think? She would rather think of herself than you. I told you _millions_ of times, my dear. You are nothing. Just a wisp of smoke, a flash of wind… once you are gone, you will be nothing."

"I… I am not!" Ren snapped, although he was trembling. The person was nearing, and Ren did not like how darkness had seemingly swarmed around him in that very instant. He shook his sister hard, hoping she would wake up. He was afraid; he needed help; he was scared… She used to protect him; she was his savior from every Big Bad Wolf there was in the world!

"Ben dan. She wouldn't listen to you now. She can't even help herself! That will teach you two, the effects of being born with tainted blood! Feeling the dirty blood just makes me shudder. What _disgust_." The shadow now covered Jun completely; Ren shuddered, his grip on the teddy bear tightening to the point where it could actually be strangled to death if it was alive. A hand snaked around Ren's chin, jerking his face up. "I often wonder, why you two are blessed with tainted looks instead of the distinguished air our family had. If you two had at least a decent face, perhaps you wouldn't have suffered so much now, what do you think?"

"L… let us go!"

"You really are stupid, aren't you?" Wicked laughter rang. "Let me repeat again. No one will ever care for you, because you are from tainted blood. Jun was better than you were, you know why? She _accepted_ her role of _filth_. She will always be better than you will. Better than you, who still harbour naïve hopes, sickeningly pure wishes…" Suddenly, Ren's shirt was ripped off, and he was made to kiss the ground. Something jabbed to his back, making Ren cry out in pain. He was unable to resist, the other was too strong, and he was minute compared to the lunatic now twisting something around his back. His body was getting wetter too with some sticky liquid soaking into his bare skin and pants and it was gushing rapidly, his lips feeling the taste of it as well.

_Jie…_

The person made a circular shape at his back, but Ren did not know the rest because he had fainted from the loss of blood.

* * *

"Ren?" Lyserg's calm voice made Ren return to reality. He blinked a little, and tilted his head a little in daze. Lyserg giggled and playfully touched his cheek. "Come on, what are you doing?" 

"Huh…?" Ren asked, mind still out of focus. "When are you back?"

"Ha-ha, I was back quite a while ago. Well, it seemed that you cannot live without us already!" Lyserg teased. Ren scoffed, shaking off his trance while pushing the lecherous hand away and returned to his homework, seemingly disbelieving that he had not written anything on it. He rubbed his eyes a little and shrugged again.

"Don't think so highly of yourself, Lyserg."

"I do not, Ren! I just think that we should be closer friends since you are obviously in need of a few too."

"A… _few_…?"

"Yeah! Me, Yoh, and Usui!" Lyserg smiled. Ren could only smirk as rapid fire emblazoned his pale cheeks in memory of earlier. "We can be your best friends, of course, once _they_ deal with their own problems."

"They…?" Ren asked again. Lyserg shook his head, seemingly not notice Ren blush, and smiled again.

"Oh yeah, you want to come over to my house today for a sleepover together with Yoh and Usui? Tomorrow's Saturday, you know."

On his days here, Ren had begun to create a pattern among his three friends (Horohoro was reluctantly added because he sits next to Ren).

Firstly, this teen in front of him. Lyserg Diethel was always smiling, forever cheery (Ren was not sure if he had seen any other expression on his friend's face), but Ren cannot even think what is in his friend's mind, because he was unpredictable. Lyserg was an enigma. All he knew was, Lyserg was a transfer student like him. What information was that?!

He had also begun to realise that Asakura Yoh had begun to go hostile around Usui Horokeu. Ren is not stupid. The very moment he saw Horohoro bloodied at the street, Yoh had been _acting_ friendly to him, although now he seem to be letting his real feelings show more. This teen is very fearful. Who knows whom else Yoh was pretending to? He dared not thought.

Lastly, the bandana freak himself, Usui Horokeu. He had been the most erratic of all. He was gruff and rude, insolent and took things for granted. Then his constant absences from classes had not gone unnoticed. Heck, he just did according to what he pleases. He was a teen full of questions (and problems, perhaps) and like Lyserg; he was not an easy book to read from the cover. Most unbelievable was; he actually _had_ a fan club! What was his attraction that made girls swoon in his presence? Ugh.

Can he actually trust them although they had only known each other in a matter of days and their flaws were more than he could count? Can he listen to Bason?

"I can't, you know. I am busy." Ren replied at last, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. Lyserg's forehead wrinkled; and before Ren knew it, Lyserg hands held his, eyes brimming with hope.

"Ren… just one night won't hurt… your house has nobody right?"

It was when Ren realised that his so-called friends knew nothing about him as well.

* * *

Lyserg smiled at the other, a piece of dirtily scribbled paper kept in his pocket. 

_It will definitely be perfect for future references.

* * *

_

**I swear things will get better by next chapter, I swear... Just be patient with this dismal one first, all right? Sleepover at Lyserg's next! Pls read and review! Arigato!**


	9. Weekend's Surprise

**Sorry for the long delay... I was very busy catching anime and manga, and the latest I'm reading is Wild Adaptor, by Minekura Kazuya-sensei. It sppoks me because Ren is starting to feel like Tokito... I hope what I guess is wrong because I did write my story first before I read that manga! Please, do review!**

**

* * *

**

Ren grumbled a little as he looked to his left and right, bag pack in hand. His sister was still sick, and he knew he should be at home tending to his sister, not standing outside Lyserg's house like an idiot while waiting for him to open the door.

"Ah, gomen, I was bathing! Please, do come in!" Lyserg managed to murmur as he opened the door in a huff, towel around his waist and a shirt draped around himself; clearly, Lyserg had been rushing because his shirt was placed backwards to front, but Ren decided not to say a word and wait for him to notice it himself.

A few minutes later, a rough knock on the door led to a grumpy Horohoro standing by the door.

"I'm here, Diethel."

"Ah, so you are! Come in, come in, Ren's here already!" Lyserg smiled as he ushered the other into the normal looking living room. Sitting down opposite Ren, Horohoro only grunted. Ren rolled his eyes.

Finally dressed right, Lyserg smiled a little and sat beside Ren. The lone tongari teen looked at his friend, who looked a little overeager, fingers tapping happily, legs swinging as he hummed a tune.

_Something is wrong._

Obviously, Horohoro noticed because the next thing that happened was Horohoro staring straight at him.

"Where's the other guy?"

"Well, he's coming, he's coming!" Lyserg replied cheerily, _too_ cheerily for him. Ren felt a sweat building.

"What is this party about anyway? There's no special occasion or anything." Horohoro spoke, eyeing the green haired teen.

"I said before, for the sake of building friendships!" Lyserg declared, now standing, eyes shining. "We need to bond and be best friends…"

"I don't want to best friends with _him_!" Ren and Horohoro spat at the same time. Lyserg looked at them innocently.

"_Lovers_ then?"

"What the…!!!" Ren was blushing again. Horohoro smirked, laughing inwardly. This new guy really is naïve.

"Hello?" a voice followed by a knock on the door. "I'm here!"

"Yoh!" Lyserg greeted as he opened the door to reveal the last participant of their sleepover. "We are waiting for you!"

"Only you." Horohoro snapped. Yoh glared at him. Ren decided not to answer.

* * *

Tao Ren can never be associated with an idiot. Ignorant as he can be, he cannot, and never could be, labeled as stupid. He could see very well that Yoh and Horohoro are definitely not companionable with one another. Despite paper-like shielding, which was actually futile, Ren can see them very clearly with little gestures in itself.

Like the time when Yoh had moved rather uncomfortably carrying Horohoro home with Lyserg that time when he got hurt, or when Yoh shot Horohoro laser beam-like stares, and some other things he had lost track of. There were many such encounters, whatever that was, that had happened, it must hurt.

_Bad._

Furthermore, Asakura Yoh was not blessed with an Oscar-worth performing skill. Seriously, they are the one who was idiots for thinking Ren did not notice any miss.

Therefore, when Yoh and Horohoro are positioned against each other, hand holding different coloured of chess pieces, Ren knew, it is definitely not going to be a beautiful sight.

"All right, game starts now!" Lyserg smiled, as the two former best friends glared at each other. Ren felted the cold emanating from the two people in question and shuddered a little.

"Black starts first." Horohoro muttered, moving a soldier two-step to front.

"Wrong move." Yoh spoke back, forcefully pushing his soldier to face Horohoro's soldier.

"Well, you are always being so pathetic, as always." Horohoro glinted evilly, another soldier moving two steps.

"You are the one being pathetic." White soldier.

"That is so unkind of you." Black soldier.

"You know you deserve it." White soldier.

"I never knew you can be so sarcastic." Black soldier.

"I learned it from you, Horohoro." White soldier.

"Enough trivial pursuits, ne?" Horohoro looked up at Yoh for a sudden. "Why are you here in the first place?" Black knight ate a white soldier.

"Lyserg invited me, as he invited you." White horse ate a black soldier.

"Then is our way of invitation same?" Black knight ate white horse.

"Of course!" Lyserg beamed, as the two paused to stare at him.

"Shut up."

"Oh." Lyserg answered stupidly, as Ren shook his head.

"Then my greatest sympathies." White queen ate black knight.

"You're going sarcastic again, ne, Yoh?" Black soldier ate white soldier. "I didn't affect you that much, did I?"

"You never know, _buddy_."

So much venom there was; Ren swore he could feel the sensation in the room suffocating. He stood up.

"I'm going to the kitchen."

The moment Ren left, Horohoro and Yoh stopped their game and threw icy looks at Lyserg, who looked at them calmly.

"Lyserg, why did you ask us to come?"

Lyserg smiled.

* * *

Ren looked at the spacious room that was Lyserg's kitchen. The kitchen utensils were arranged neatly, each fork at its specific place, each spoon without amiss. The plates arranged from big to small, without fail. Ren glanced around for the refrigerator, to get a drink and cool himself from the tension. What was Lyserg thinking when he had made them play _chess_?

Finally seeing the refrigerator, Ren silently cursed himself for not noticing it earlier. Opening the door to various assortments of drinks, he finally picked on Pepsi and was putting it to his mouth when…

"Damn you!" the liquid spilt itself over Ren's shirt and the floor, the person holding the tin somewhat shaken by this phrase. Gritting his teeth as he walked back to the living room, all his initial shock and anger dissipated at the sight before his eyes.

Horohoro and Yoh were holding Lyserg with his hands behind his back, his face on the sofa arm. The two aforementioned boys had their hands on each arm, face with an expression that was indistinguishable between anger or pain. To say they were furious would be an understatement, though.

"You shut up." Horohoro cursed in a poisoned voice. "Don't ever meddle into my affairs! No wonder you were giving such an evil smirk just now; you want us to act like your puppies, to tell everything and then cry like a Barney show? We WON'T!"

"Mending by blackmailing is not a right!"

"I only want to fix your friendship; you were such close friends and besides, she wants it to happen…"

"You have no right to do that." Yoh warned. "We are not children!"

"Er… what are you two doing?" Ren blinked at last, ending the overbearing silence. Lyserg looked up from the armrest, face relieved.

"Ren! We were just talking…"

"He here, is trying to be nosy about our affairs with this girl…"

"I thought you promised her never to talk about this again?" Horohoro glanced at his 'accomplice'. "Your promises break fast."

"She fucking told _him_!" Yoh shot back.

"Him?" Ren blinked again.

"He means me." Lyserg replied weakly.

"That is _her_ business, since when was it _yours_?"

"Well, since Lyserg knew about it, why not tell Ren as well?"

"That is not in your place to say also." Horohoro muttered at last. "It is his business then."

Ren blinked for the third time, clearly not comprehending the exchange of words, which to him sounded foreign and downright, _weird_.

"Are you stupid or what?" Yoh yelled at Ren all of a sudden, making Ren twitch. "We are talking about you here! Give some reaction, hello!"

"Yoh." Horohoro snapped. Yoh and Ren turned to him, the former with a annoyed expression, the latter with a curious face. "Ren need not know this."

"He's already involved." Lyserg said from below them. "She chose him."

* * *

"Today, we have a new classmate. She's from Kyoto, her name is Morika Tamao. Morika-san, please introduce yourself…"

"You know, Yoh, I wonder how this new girl will look like… Hey!" Horohoro and Yoh, who had once again came in late for class, was talking aloud when they went in through the classroom door. Kazuki-sensei looked at them, pursing her lips as her speech was clouded by Horohoro's loud laugh. Horohoro's last words came because he realised that he had disturbed the class. This girl, who had pink neck-length hair, turned to them. Yoh half expected her to smile shyly, since he had some thought that pink haired girls usually smiled, like some girls in the next class. Ah, first years are always so fun…

This girl looked at them coolly.

"Er… Morika-san?"

"Yes, sensei?" she turned back to the teacher, who blinked. "I'm so sorry, my name is Morika Tamao, and you can call me Tamao-chan. Is that all I need to say?"

The teacher nodded.

Tamao nodded back somewhat arrogantly and sat at the remaining empty place in the class, which was incidentally next to Horohoro's seat. She folded her arms and looked at the two teens in front and the teacher impatiently. The teacher sputtered as she turned back her attention to Horohoro and Yoh.

"You two…"

"Sorry, sensei!" was all Horohoro mustered as he dragged Yoh back to their places, Yoh seated at Horohoro's right. Which meant that Tamao was beside them both…

"You two, don't try to disrupt me just because I am seated next to you two." Tamao spoke as lessons began.

Horohoro and Yoh were speechless.

* * *

"What the hell…" Ren released the breath he did not realise he was holding as Lyserg finished Morika Tamao's first day in class, sitting comfortably on the couch as he was already released. Yoh and Horohoro wore wistful faces, both not saying a word. Somehow, the room became silent again, and the sun shone hot on their faces, since it was already around two o'clock in the afternoon. Ren swallowed his saliva and stared at three of them. All of a sudden…

"You know, I actually feel relieved he knew about this. If we could just court him like we did Tamao-chan…" Yoh began.

A delayed time bomb finally exploded in Ren's head. The bomb, which Ren had been trying to fight for so long, resisting with his utmost power, something that he thought had defused, was rising higher and higher in terms of pressure, finally flowing its contents Ren thought could remain buried in the soil at his brain… Realization struck to Ren in that moment of time, his grips loosening on himself…

"Why must I be similar to someone else?" Ren interrupted, eyes now rounded in dispersed water. "Why can't I be myself? Why on earth must there be someone similar to me, BETTER than me?! Why?!"

_Everyone is better than you…_

_YOU ARE USELESS!_

The voices in his head rang again. Ren held his head, the cup falling to the ground and shattering into shards of glass. He fell down kneeling, the voices ringing louder than ever before.

That inhumane voice…

That inhumane pain…

Why is god always playing with him? Was he never good enough to be himself? Must someone else always be better than him? Who is that Morika girl? Why did she act like him? Was he so bad until he cannot become himself? Does he have no originality in himself?

_You are useless, Ren. Look, even your sister is better than you! You filth!_

"Shut up! Shut up!" Ren shrieked, shaking his head to try to remove the headache he is feeling. The glass had cut through the cloths of his shirt, penetrating his skin, drawing blood… and he could not budge. No, he could not. He is filth. He can never be himself. He will always be in someone's shadows…

_You are from tainted blood._

"Ren!"

_Look, you are acting just like me; you COPYCAT! _A girl with pink hair and unseen face stood in front him now, face curled in a smirk. _No one loves you, no one! Horohoro's mine! Yoh's mine! You're no one's!_

"Ren! Look at me!" all of a sudden, someone walked through the crunches of glass, kneeling in front of him, looking at him sternly. Ren could not look at him; he was too filthy to be seen… "Ren!" the voice came again, shaking his shoulders. "You had better look at me, damn it!"

The cursing woke Ren up. Still, he was still shaking; his eyes dazed; his body going limp; his body losing control…

The last thing Ren recalled was falling into a strong, sturdy chest.

* * *

If you had been following this from the start I believe you would've understand the first chapter by now, ne? Anyway, thnaks for reading, remember, I want reviews! 


	10. My Name Is Asakura Hao

**Sorry for the delay of this chapter's production, I started on a happy note, but in the middle my depression got over it and the story became angsty. Well, I suppose this is good because it only meant that more spoilers are revealed, not that I would not write them here if I had **_**not **_**been depressed. Oh, to compensate, it was longer than my previous chapters… X) **

**If I own Shaman King, Ren would definitely be with Horohoro, and it would stretch longer than the 33 tankuobons it had now… X(**

**And before I forget, thank you to all the reviews received!**

**Rareitemhunter1: I have edited the first chapter, though I am not sure if it suits your taste, since its only a minor tweak…**

**Jazzy: My first anonymous review! Thank you; I liked it that you liked it! And for the 'strong sturdy chest' part, it's explained here, hope you like!**

**Aoimizuneko: Your review revved me up to finish this chapter... so thank you lots!**

**I appreciated your efforts to leave a piece of your mind here in my-not-so-worthy-of-a-fanfiction-story, and I can see an ending for this story already. In ten chapters perhaps? If the reviews keep pouring in of course… XD**

* * *

**Chapter 10: My Name Is Asakura Hao**

My name is Asakura Hao. I am currently 26 this year, have long hair, handsome face, oh scratch that. A VERY handsome face, with smooth long tresses that I love to pamper with a highly exorbitant brand of conditioner and shampoo set, and I also made sure I always sleep with my facial mask. They are highly treasured in the upkeep of my delicate features, also highly effective against pimples, acnes; whatever you want to call them that can scar my face, even a single one is deleterious enough. I lay back on the armchair, preparing to snooze off for another piece of well-earned beauty sleep…

When it was oh-so unceremoniously disturbed by frantic knocks on my door.

"Aniki! Open the door!"

"Otouto?" I rushed to the door and opened it, only to be greeted by sounds of "We need help!" and "He fainted, aniki!". Two teenagers rushed in, one being my most beloved brother in the whole world, Yoh, and a green haired teen whom looked somewhat cute. I kneeled down to take her hand, but Yoh brushed it away. "You are jealous, aren't you, Yoh, by my liking towards this beautiful girl…"

"Excuse me, oji-san, I'm only 17, and I'm a boy." The green haired lad (I tried my best not to add a –y behind) muttered. Yoh smirked a little and from behind him, a Chinese boy surfaced. I could not help but mutter to myself. _Wow, he looks cute as well… otouto sure know how to mix with pretty boys…_

Then it dawned on me.

"I'm NOT an uncle! How dare you…"

"Anyway, put him here. I'll go and get some oil to wake him up." Yoh muttered as his cute green haired friend placed the fainted boy on the couch and sat by him.

"Hey!" I snapped. Ever since otouto was born, he had always been rebellious to me. That boy just knows no manners! Yoh reemerged from the kitchen with a bottle of brown coloured ointment and dabbed a bit of it on the fainted boy's nose. Moments later, the teen with the tongari (I have only realised this after he woke up) rubbed his eyes and appear glazed.

"Where am I?"

"You're in my house!" Yoh beamed. I smiled too, after all, it was MY smile whom he copied, MY looks who he had similarities to, and MY beautiful frown adorning his face. Just unlucky he did not appreciate my flair or love of all things beautiful…

From Yoh, the aforementioned single spiked hair teen looked at me. Who would not? After all, I am the epitome of beauty. I raised a hand to shake.

"Hello, how are you, young…"

"ARGH!" he screamed. I glared at Yoh. What is wrong with him, mixing with friends that are either not courteous or even worse, trying to deafen my eardrums?

"Yoh, who is he?"

"GHOST!" Spiky yelled again, face gone pale, hand clutching over his ears. I scowled at him. I decided, I need to educate otouto about the importance of befriending people that are not weird or eccentric.

"Em, aniki…" Yoh began. Something looked very weird here. I raised an eyebrow, prompting him to speak quickly. Green Lady proceeded to comfort Spiky; apparently, they looked aghast…

I touched my face. The greenish substance on my fingers …

"ARGH!"

* * *

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry… I really have no intention of scaring you boys…"

"We are no longer kids, aniki." Yoh snapped. Hao rolled his eyes as he continued to wipe his face.

"As I said, I'm sorry you are frightened by the sight of me and my mask. I was planning to have my beauty sleep when you barged in. Yoh, I thought you were at your friend's house for a sleepover?"

"Well, Lyserg's house was in a mess, we couldn't find anything useful to wake him up, so we decided to run over, since here's nearest to his house." Hao perked his eyebrow.

"Mess…?"

"Aniki, don't think of naughty thoughts! Ren caused it when he was, well…"

"I lost control of myself, so sorry." Ren muttered bitterly. Hao raised an eyebrow, but upon Yoh's imploring look, stopped short of trying to question anything.

"Well, you had better take good care of yourself, ne! I believe you want to continue your sleepover…? Maybe you can try a threesome tonight…"

"Aniki!" Yoh blushed ever so furiously, his face turned brilliant pink.

"Oji-san, there was four of us." Lyserg snapped. Hao glared at him, obviously with the usage of 'oji-san'.

"Then where's the fourth?"

"You don't want to know." Lyserg replied again with venom. He stood up. "Now, we would like to take leave."

"Young man, you are being very rude." Hao spontaneously answered.

"You deserve no better." With that, he dragged Ren up and headed for the door. "Now, the door, please."

"Why should I when I'm talking to such a rude _androgynous_ kid?"

"Aniki, shut up!" Yoh fended, ears flaring, a sign that he was getting angry. "Please, we want to go back to Lyserg's house now, I'll be back tomorrow."

Knowing he lost, Hao grumblingly walked to the door and pulled the knob. "Don't come back again."

"I definitely won't." Lyserg spat, as he walked out.

* * *

Walking back to Lyserg's house, Yoh and Ren stared at Lyserg worriedly. For the first time, Ren had seen another part of Lyserg, and his cheeks flush in embarrassment upon remembering it was his fault they had went to Yoh's house in the first place. Still, it was not your fault, a part of his mind replied indignantly. They were the ones comparing you to another!

"Sorry, Ren." Lyserg began. Ren and Yoh stopped as well, seeing Lyserg remained stationary on his position. There were no cars by the road now, and Lyserg squatted to the floor, face looking down. Alarmed, Yoh and Ren did the same by his sides. "Sorry for making you remember bad memories. You'll forgive me right?" Clutching Ren's shoulders, Ren could see that Lyserg's eyes were filled with water.

"I forgive you, but you were the distressed one just now…" Ren whispered. Lyserg let go of Ren and looked back to the empty road, eyes looking faraway.

"I just wanted to take a look…"

"A look?" Yoh blinked. "My house?"

"Your aniki." Ren corrected.

"Still, I've seen, and now I'm happier." Lyserg stood back up in an instant and beamed at his two bewildered, still squatting friends. "Let's go back!"

"Talking about going back, where's Usui?" Ren began. Lyserg looked at him and a mischievous smile surfaced.

"Worrying about him, eh?"

"No…! I am just curious why he didn't follow." Ren frowned, his face already blushing.

"He wouldn't be interested to follow where I live; don't you know our friendship had already dropped to the point he had to distance away from me?" Yoh said with a twinkle in his eye, dropping an arm around Ren. "Our friendship is beyond salvage."

"Why…?" Ren was unable to let the question remain in his mouth and he looked at Yoh, whose face turned in an instant.

"Because they fell for the same girl." Lyserg spoke after a few minutes, when it was clear Yoh would not reply.

"Tamao would be much happier if she was with me." Yoh mumbled, looking away, the hand draped around Ren returning to his side. "But no, he fell for that bastard."

"We've reached." Lyserg nudged Ren and Yoh to keep quiet as he pushed open the door to reveal a clean house and a sleeping Horohoro, lying on the couch in a fetal position. "He really cleaned the house as promised."

"It must have taken all the breath out of him." Ren could not help but notice awe in Yoh's voice. Though his head was full with questions as to why Lyserg did not stay at his _own_ house and instead left Horohoro to do the cleaning, and a few others, he decided not to probe on the matter.

* * *

A young bride garbed in Chinese wedding outfit stood silently by her room window, looking at the falling snow, and clutching her stomach, feeling the baby inside kicking. She silently wiped the tears away from her eyes to prevent smudging on her face, to look as presentable as possible. She swallowed the nervousness on her throat when strong arms hugged her from behind, startling her.

"Ling, finally you're mine." Feeling the man kissing her neck fervently, she closed her eyes to prevent herself from resisting this man, thinking about the benefits her family could receive from the Taos.

The reason why she was married now, to him, and having his baby.

Chen Yi-ling was actually a servant working for the Tao family. Sold to the family since young, she was taught never to resist her masters, and obey them. Therefore, it was only the same when the married master En dragged her to the stables and raped her, laughing maniacally for all its worth. He had screamed insanely about how beautiful she was throughout the years and how her beauty astounds many, more than the ugly looking woman he had to marry for a wife. She had laid there motionless, as En stripped her and enjoyed the feast before him, all noises that might rouse suspicion amongst the Tao clan members covered by the neighing of horses that seemed to pity her predicament.

When she got pregnant, En immediately proposed to marry her in front of the elders, immediately making her an enemy with the first wife, who she had served before, namely Tao Ran. They had no reason to object because that time Ling was already five months pregnant, the baby unable to be aborted, and to cover the shame, she was made to be married off the next day. Riches and titles were bestowed to her family by the Tao family, bringing the Chen family high to their level. Yi-ling knew, if she tried to run away, her family would suffer and disgraced beyond their imagination, so she had nodded meekly, knowing her and Ran cannot be on friendly terms again.

Few months later, she bore his first child, Jun, and she remembered the disgust on En's face when he found out it was not a boy as wished. Jun was made to cross-dress and mix with the boys of the clan. Yi-ling was not allowed to take care of her daughter and was shied away from the Tao clan. Nevertheless, everything changed five years later.

Ran who was barren from the beginning (and having laughed under covers that En resorted to a lowly servant only to have a baby _girl_), could only grind her teeth as she noticed another bulge in Yi-ling's stomach; it was probably an evidence that En had went to Yi-ling's chambers with high hopes of harboring a baby boy.

Tao Ren was born, and Ran's fate was sealed.

She knew that since Ren was a boy, he would be treated with all lavish treats there was in the world; and herself would be distanced. It became reality when En announced that Yi-ling would be the first wife, and Ran second, while he rarely stepped into her room anymore; instead spending all his time with baby Ren and Jun, who was allowed to be dressed in girl's outfits again. Angered with jealousy and brazen by hate (she was after all, the daughter of a respected minister, and her ego did not allow much mercy to be placed below a lowly caste girl), she had plotted for Yi-ling's downfall, and she was sure to make it permanent.

* * *

Horohoro woke up about a few hours later, his mind somewhat dizzy over a vivid dream he had, and sat up to see Ren sleeping by his side. Wondering if it was his dream he was seeing, Horohoro looked further and saw Lyserg watching the television, Yoh asleep beside him.

"Good evening, you fell asleep, Usui."

"Hn." Horohoro replied as he sat up and stretched himself. "What time is it?"

"About seven, now Detective Conan's on the television."

"Oh." Sitting beside Lyserg as they watched Conan hiding behind Mouri (yet again) and solving another case that would not be under his name, Horohoro adjusted his bandana comfortably.

"Do you like watching Conan, Usui?"

"Just Horohoro." Horohoro bluntly answered. "I don't like formalities."

"Horohoro, I take it that you aren't much of a fan."

"You came to my house before; you know I don't have televisions at home."

"Ah, yes." Lyserg laughed in spite of himself, and Horohoro gave a sound of disapproval, when he turned serious.

"Why did you waste your time to go over Yoh's place? That's so illogical when you have a medicine box in your own house, and why did you carry Ren along? You're acting so irrational." For a moment, Lyserg turned back to look at him, and his lip curled.

"You know why."

"That's so pointless." Horohoro tried to look nonchalant although there were sudden flickers of panic in his eyes.

"Thank you for your efforts to rein Ren in." Lyserg stared at him, suddenly jumping away from the topic. "I must say he gave quite a fight, eh?"

"Hn." Horohoro mumbled. "I was nearest to him." Lyserg rolled his eyes playfully.

"Still in denial eh? Well, we had nothing much to do anyway now since Ren and Yoh are asleep, since all the things I've planned include the three of you."

"Like playing chess involved four people." Horohoro could not help saying. Lyserg smiled again at him, a knowing twinkle in his eyes.

"Well, it was fun, isn't it?"

"Hell its fun."

"Anyway…" Lyserg let the calm permeate them for a while, his attention diverted back to the television. "Tamao-chan told me much about you and Yoh."

"I take it you're psychic."

"So I am, if you say so." Lyserg smiled again. "But I'm more like a listener; I cannot predict futures and such."

"You are possessed that day you saw me bloodied." Horohoro began again. "By Tamao."

"I didn't know you possess great intellect, Horohoro-kun." The 'kun' was clearly emphasized, but Horohoro pretended not to notice the flirting tone that came with it.

"Where is she now? Is she still around?"

"She's gone for rebirth." Lyserg said dreamily. "Waiting for Ren's arrival consumed her time more than most."

"Why had she not spoken to me or Yoh then before this?" Horohoro solemnly asked. Lyserg turned to look at him; the dreamy quality still apparent, but this time there was a tinge of sadness.

"Because she didn't want you or Yoh to blame yourselves for her death."

* * *

**Vocabulary**

**Ojisan-uncle**

**Aniki-older brother**

**Otouto-younger brother**

**Explanations**

**Chinese families give great importance to baby boys (apparently it's a symbol of pride and such), which is why many Chinese families tried their best to have at least a baby boy. In poor Yi-ling's case, her first child was a girl (Jun), but her luck changed when she got Ren. Women who gave birth to boys are highly regarded, and poor Ran(who was their **_**original**_** mother in the series, sorry for the altering, hehe) who was barren, was further misplaced in the family hierarchy since she could never give birth, not even to a baby girl. Such was the cruelty of Chinese families… X(**

**Homage is paid to Detective Conan, I liked Mouri, although he is indeed sometimes rather a slob and lazy man (and suck in investigating)….**

**And I believe this explains the beginning of chapter three a little (and chapter two too, if you recall a little of what I wrote in that chapter), though I had wondered why no one asked who that girl was… hmmm… Well, I believe now more questions are raised, ne? Oh yeah, for Yoh and Lyserg, do you think they should be together or should I pair them with other people? I'm still rather undecided…**

**Well, thank you for reading, please review! Onegai?**


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